Active Citizenship : What Could it Achieve and How?

Considers the possibilities for active citizenship within areas of broad concern in UK politics: young people and justice; parliaments with the people; women and equality; integrating immigrants; multiculturalism; schools; community; social inclusion and poverty; Europe; nationalisms and Britishness.

Active Citizenship gathers a group of political actors and academics who believe a radically more active citizenship is a worthy aim. They spell out how it can be achieved in their particular area of concern, looking at the obstacles and how they might be overcome. Together, they shows us how we can realise the dream of a citizen culture and what benefits it would bring for democracy in the UK.Bernard Crick''s first and final essays set the tone, respectively, on Civic Republicanism Today and Political Identity. Other contributors consider active citizenship in relation to: Labour Government Policy (David Blunkett and Matthew Taylor); Scottish Devolution (George Reid); Public Services (David Donnison); Gender Equality (Rhona Fitzgerald); Schools (Pamela Munn); Multiculturalism (Dina Kiwan); Integrating Immigrants (Elizabeth Meehan); Lifelong Learning (John Annette); Europe and International Understanding (Derek Heater); Young People (Andrew Lockyer) and Scottish Independence (Kevin Francis).