Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- About the author
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Definitions and Scope of the Book: When We Talk About ‘Refugees and Other New Arrivals’, Who Exactly Do We Mean?
- 2 What Has Been the Response in the UK?
- 3 What Does Any of This Have to Do with Libraries?
- 4 Libraries’ Responses in the UK – Historical Background
- 5 What Barriers are There to the Take-Up of Library Services by New Arrivals? And How Can We Begin to Dismantle These?
- 6 How Are Libraries Responding Today? And What More Can We Do? Some Practical Ideas …
- 7 And What Can We Learn From Elsewhere?
- 8 Conclusions
- Appendices
- Endnotes
- References
- Index
Appendix 8 - Community cohesion
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 January 2023
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- About the author
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Definitions and Scope of the Book: When We Talk About ‘Refugees and Other New Arrivals’, Who Exactly Do We Mean?
- 2 What Has Been the Response in the UK?
- 3 What Does Any of This Have to Do with Libraries?
- 4 Libraries’ Responses in the UK – Historical Background
- 5 What Barriers are There to the Take-Up of Library Services by New Arrivals? And How Can We Begin to Dismantle These?
- 6 How Are Libraries Responding Today? And What More Can We Do? Some Practical Ideas …
- 7 And What Can We Learn From Elsewhere?
- 8 Conclusions
- Appendices
- Endnotes
- References
- Index
Summary
During the spring and summer of 2001 there were a number of disturbances in towns and cities in England (including Bradford, Burnley, Oldham and Stoke-on-Trent). The government's response was to establish a Ministerial Group on Public Order and Community Cohesion and also a Review Team to seek the views of local residents and community leaders. The Review Team produced a report (Home Office, 2001) which led to the widening use of the term ‘community cohesion’. ‘While continuing to emphasise the need to tackle inequalities, community cohesion programmes were radically different in that they attempted to build understanding between different groups and to build mutual trust and respect by breaking down stereotypes and misconceptions about the “other”.’ (iCoCo Foundation, 2022)
This definition was set out initially by the Local Government Association in its guidance for local authorities:
Community cohesion incorporates and goes beyond the concept of race equality and social inclusion.
The broad working definition is that a cohesive community is one where:
• there is a common vision and a sense of belonging for all communities;
• the diversity of people's different backgrounds and circumstances are appreciated and positively valued;
• those from different backgrounds have similar life opportunities; and
• strong and positive relationships are being developed between people from different backgrounds in the workplace, in schools and within neighbourhoods.
There were critics of the idea of community cohesion, primarily arguing that the way it was interpreted focused too strongly on race and did not, for example, take on board and explore fully other issues that can lead to conflict, such as class, inequality and poverty (see for example Ratcliffe, 2012; Burnett, 2004).
However, organisations – especially local authorities – are continuing to use the term, linking it to inclusion (for example: Wrexham County Borough Council, 2022); to the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty (Tower Hamlets Council, n.d.); and also to their welcome for new arrivals – for example, at the time of writing, Birmingham has a community cohesion strategy in place, which highlights this work:
Birmingham is a welcoming city, and we are proud of our diversity of cultures, people, and communities.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Libraries and SanctuarySupporting Refugees and New Arrivals, pp. 166 - 168Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2022