Community Cohesion - Essay Example

Community Cohesion Introduction: This essay examines how the UK housing policy takes care of the inspiration of community cohesion. It is being discuss that how policy makers struggle with the tribulations of inter-ethnic divergences and faith-based dares, which are affecting community cohesion in an important way. The major focus will be on whether government holds the variety in education and housing strengths or weaknesses in community cohesion. Community organization in the beginning is distinct in economic terms. Education, employment and poverty are the major signifiers of community cohesion. Bauman describes community as 'missing freedom' in his book Community: Seeking Safety in an Insecure World. Zygmunt Bauman in his book Community: Seeking Safety in an Insecure World 'Community' as a world, which we have lost and are longing to revisit there. People search for newer trails to recover 'the Paradise Lost'. Freedom and security are essential components in a community. Even though security is guaranteed, freedom eludes individuals. The conflict between freedom and security are entrenched within a community. (Bauman, 2001) Ian Smith et al in their book "Disadvantaged by where you live" have dwelt upon neighbourhoods and their relation with local governments, community, education and diversity. In this regard, a mention has been made of Cantle and his book 'Community Cohesion: A New Framework for Race and Diversity". Cantle recognized the role of housing policy and education in interaction between different cultures and structures, thus consolidating community cohesion. In "Community cohesion in crisis", John Flint and David Robertson have argued how religious and ethnic differences which occupy discourses at the national level, have now gained predominance at the community level as well. (Smith, Lepine,Taylor, 2007) Race and religious issues figure prominently on any major discussion on the UK. To assuage such forces, the UK government has stressed out on the significance of community cohesion. The UK housing policy in the last few decades have sought to tackle the needs of the Black and Minority ethnic communities (BME). A 'BME-led housing association sector' has been a result of such policy-making development. Some Major Housing Policies and Their Role in Community Cohesion: Choice based lettings or CBL is a social housing allotment system. Social housing allocations give individuals the right to practice their own discretion while choosing a social housing property. To apply for getting a house in a comfortable society is the main thing that strengthens the attachment between a person and the community to which he belongs. The policy is based on the idea of making the community more comprehensive, practicable and firm. Moreover, it aims at achieving a nationwide success by the year 2010. People belonging to every community have their certain choices and Choice Based Lettings is such a policy that enables them to choose property according to their tastes. For that reason the system automatically brings like-minded people together to a certain area establishing effective community cohesion among them. Currently, CBL makes the opportunity of choosing property not only available to the rich, but also to the lower middle class families. Houses are to be rented that have been brought under the coverage of CBL and this scrupulous step has been very constructive for people belonging to the above-mentioned group. For that reason, this policy has been able to bring people with equal affordability jointly resulting in the establishment of community cohesion from the perspective of economy. (Cantle, 2005) A number of the most underprivileged regions in UK have always made community cohesion a difficult task for the government. Therefore, it has always been the UK government's look out to solve their problems in an organized and intensive way. The main focus was to bring the complementary neighbourhoods as one. New Deal for Communities is an approach of UK government to tackle this situation and gradually move towards the aim. NDC has pointed out five key problems returning among the people belonging to the deprived communities. According to the surveys housing is one of the major key problems in these regions. The predicament with housing has been taken under deliberation and it is hoped to provide a well solution as far as community cohesion is concerned. Current debates in the UK on housing policy and community cohesion escort a discussion on inter-ethnic conflicts and separatist trends in the urban milieu. Ethnic tensions in the Northern English towns in 2001 were a merchandise of the housing policies and programs. Current discussions emphasize the importance of community cohesion to struggle with the problem of immigration and minority issues. In 1990's, housing policies were devised to integrate immigrants into the neighbourhoods. The refugees inhabited the most underprivileged communities of UK. The succeeding disturbances necessitated a call for social cohesion. (Cantle, 2005) Mixed Tenure Housing Developments can be considered as a big success for the UK government. Housing policies under this plan are meant to establish a good network among the people belonging to a community ensuring a successful understanding among them. For instance, Mixed Tenure Housing Developments have made it possible for the children of divorced parents to stay near them and continue with an undisturbed childhood. Another achievement of this plan is bringing people from different social backgrounds together thus building a comfortable co-existence of various communities in the same region. Now, community cohesion has been able to cross its local length and reach a more modern and wider level. The UK government has recently undertaken measures to eradicate ethnic differences and promote social cohesion among people across different cultures. The UK urban policy in trying to regenerate community cohesion, strives to encourage spatial mixing between the deprived communities and other sections of the population. Trust and interaction are keys to regeneration of cohesion amongst communities and neighbourhoods. Social capital can be deployed as a new part of the UK housing policy to promote social cohesion. (Wetherell, Laflche, Berkeley, 2007) Faith is accepted as the common denomination of UK housing policy. This is reflected in the inclusion of faith-based communities and faith-based schools such as Muslim schools as a part of the housing policies and programs. The housing policies have recognized faith-groups as the principal determinants of the urban renewal program. Community Cohesion in UK: A call for community cohesion as a part of UK housing policy was felt soon after Bradford, Oldham and Burnley was beset by a series of ethnic disturbances in 2001. These localities have failed to establish Britain as a successful multicultural state in the eyes of the common man. The urban unrest in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley questioned the efficacy of housing departments and local councils in maintaining social and economic equality. The segregation of the traditional ethnic groups from the deprived communities indicated a 'lack of community cohesion'. Soon after the London Bombings of July, 2005, the need for community cohesion to combat fundamentalism and terrorism became all the more indispensable. The Institute for Community Cohesion did not agree to the idea of fighting extremism as the only possible measure to promote community consciousness, as this overlooked the other divisive forces in society. (Wetherell, Laflche, Berkeley, 2007) The initial initiatives of the government to build community cohesion were looked upon as a measure to wipe out racial tensions and strife in the ethnically estranged communities, borne out of deprivation and lack of scope for spatial communication. Contemporary debates focus on the exact agenda of community cohesion. While the authorities in favour of community cohesion to fight ethnic differences contend that expanding its scope would constrain its effectiveness in dealing with racial differences, there are others, who support the broader scope of community cohesion, argued that a variety of community differences required to be addressed, both within and beyond the community. The Institute of Community Cohesion drew up a six-tenet program to alleviate differences, which triggered off the violent urban unrest in 2001. The people were to share a common sense of belonging, have a strong identity and mutual respect for each other, and be in a position to connect with each other, execute their individual responsibilities and take a firm stand against tensions and threats. (Wetherell, Laflche, Berkeley, 2007) Following the Oldham version of community cohesion, the Home Office also had its own interpretation of community cohesion. The basic objectives advocated by the Home Office were to respect the different communities and share a common vision, the diverse backgrounds of the people were to be appreciated, and equal opportunities were to be offered to everyone, irrespective of ethnicity or race and to encourage interaction between people of different cultures in schools, workplace and communities. Housing was recognized as the principal determinant to establish community cohesion, as a consequence of the urban disturbances. Chartered Institute of Housing attempted to investigate the efforts the UK housing could take towards establishing community cohesion. (Pickering, McCulloch, Wright-Neville, 2007) Cohesion has been disturbed owing to a number of factors, the London Bombings of 2005 being one of the most gripping causes. The media was responsible for recording inaccurate levels of migration. Such incidents led to the calling of the 'Independent Commission on Integration and Cohesion' in June 2007. The Commission made useful recommendations to the housing policy makers. The Commission underscored the role local governments could play to form unified units of strength and solidarity. The commission noted that society responded to rapid changes. Changes were taking place in those parts of the country, which did experience any change hitherto. The 'new diversity' that overcame the British society was to be looked into by the housing policy makers. Housing, local authorities, landlords, estate generals and private owners were all intertwined in a complex process of urban policymaking and community cohesion. Issues of race and ethnicity were brought to the forefront, in the aftermath of the urban disturbances in September 2001. A few years prior to this have witnessed criticism in public circles against violence motivated by racial issues. Steps to fight racial tensions to make better the lives of the minority ethnic groups and the real definition of nationhood in a multiethnic society and the rights of the immigrants and refugees dominated the public imagination prior to the summer attacks in 2001. In the aftermath of the 2001 urban conflicts, a new set of problems have grabbed the focus of current debates on UK Housing Policy and community cohesion. Segregation of the minority ethnic groups and the extremist policies adopted by British Muslims, racist attacks by the British National Party raised much alarm and incited resentment amongst the downtrodden White communities. The politicians, journalists and experts hold regular discussions on such issues. New research and writing might help initiate ideas to eradicate ethnic differences and promote community cohesion. It has been widely perceived that local institutions will play a major role in enhancing a feeling of oneness and a feeling of belonging to the same community. The constitution of such local institutions and the ways of communication within them will help eliminate religious and cultural differences between different communities and foster community growth. (Pickering, McCulloch, Wright-Neville, 2007) Cultural habits and inherent principles and norms are the basis for promoting cohesiveness amongst local ethnic groups. There are several neighbourhoods, where the existence of diverse ethnic groups does not pose a problem. The UK housing society soon became a melting pot of deprivation, segregation and a changing character of the youth. Race and ethnicity should be removed from any definition of national identity and substituted by terms such as citizenship, democracy and political community. Importance of Housing Policies for Community Cohesion: According to David Robinson, a policy which responded a variety of ethnic, cultural and social challenges by summoning diverse social groups to live as one community was the agenda of any cohesive program of a housing policy. He formulated his cohesion agenda keeping in mind a variety of social and ethnic problems that wrecked the very structure of a community. Islamic fundamentalism, refugee problem, religious tensions and strife, unemployement, poor education achievement, drug addiction, gang violence and anti-social behaviour were some of the common problems associated for the social malaise. Robinson has put forward the basic tenets of Delanty's communitarianism to establish the workings of the UK housing policy. According to Delanty's version of Liberal Communiterianism, political community is based primarily on cultural community. Liberal Communiterianism recognizes the cultural differences in a community, while maintaining the community as one single entity. Both minority groups and the upwardly mobile social classes are expected to live in unison and in common harmony, thus strengthening social and community cohesion. Liberal Communiterianism seeks to promote national consciousness and a patriotic feeling. (Boddy, Parkinson, 2004) Delanty while discussing about radical pluralism categorically mentioned about a feeling of belonging and establishment of identity and forming a multiethnic society, which incorporated all ethnic groups and divisions. Only by doing away with all the differences, thereby negotiating amongst themselves, the diverse ethnic groups could establish social control and solidarity. Civic Communiterianism is the central theme of all Delanty's tenets. It was civic communiterianism, which acknowledged the practices of individuals in a major way. He emphasized on the relevance of citizenship to uphold the importance of a civil society. Modern communities saw a diminishing of values. Community stood for creation and movement of the social capital, according to Delanty. A good community has inbuilt values of trust, commitment and unity, which are also the basic requirements for the effective running of a democracy. Government Communiterianism was another important facet of Delanty's versions of communiterianism. He explored Government Communiterianism to analyze that the basic values and morals with a community could act a softening stance to neo-capitalist forces. The UK government has, by and large, taken keen interest in talking about the community in great detail as an integral part of the policy making process. Morality and values are entrenched within a community. The individual was morally responsible towards his community to meet his civic duties and obligations. Existence of small communities within a community was also primarily responsible for developing cohesiveness in a community. Government Communiterianism recognizes no diverse viewpoints and social structuring for the success of community growth and development. Burnett was of the opinion that conflicts and tensions gain an upper hand over policies and politics, only when a community is completely bereft of all values and principles. Robinson speaks of the new character of politics within a community. He asserted that towns and cities constituted of diverse neighbourhoods. Community crisis comes to the fore when deprived communities attempt to establish their values, inimical to the traditional moral order. (Boddy, Parkinson, 2004) In this context, Robinson stressed on the significant relation between UK housing policy and community cohesion. He mentioned that provision of housing policies in a major way shaped the growth and development of communities. Spatial differences could pose as a major threat to the community cohesion. Urban segregations can be the most important cause for sprouting of some distinct cultures on the periphery, thus bringing about a situation of social malaise. Provision of housing policies and provisions here encounter a problem. If we delve deeply, we will find that residential segregations and housing policies have unleashed separatist trends and added more to the problem. Ironically, housing policies and programs can be part of the remedial procedure as well. It is considered as a medium to restructure local communities. A parallel existence of several ethnic groups and religions evolved in reaction to the upper classes that retreated into quiet 'comfort zones'. This resulted in social segregation. Misunderstanding and suspicion mounted as inter-community tensions and conflicts multiplied. (Doomernik, Knippenberg, 2003) These separatist tendencies were a direct outcome of the segregation of certain ethnic groups. Housing policies also played a major role in widening the gap between the urban classes and the deprived lot. The Home office reported in the year 2001 that inhabitancy of particular areas by certain groups, segregating themselves from those who lived in the adjacent neighbourhoods have been the ideal recipe for intercommunity conflicts, leading to a situation of complete mayhem and disorder. The Independent Review Team in 2001 recorded that the effect of housing policies on community cohesion eluded the public imagination and government for long. Housing is described as a chief feature that shapes communities and significantly shape relations between several ethnic groups and cultures. (Doomernik, Knippenberg, 2003) Generations survived a poverty-stricken life. Many children grew up in families without any breadwinners. Change was proposed. The change would happen by restructuring local communities. This would in turn bring about a cultural change. A social and cultural intermixing of the residents would bring about a change from within. This would be the first step in the reconstitution of local governments and institutions. Change beyond the communities would be to incorporate the diverse and deprived ethnic groups within the centre of the community. Conclusion: Housing policies in UK are very flourishing as far as establishing community cohesion is concerned. It is important to bring people of different ethnic origins together and building up a good understanding and cooperative activities among them. This is the main objective for all the policies that have been introduced so far. The policies have not only covered people with different ethnic backgrounds but also those from unequal economic levels. Constructing a new age community is moreover a big project that is supposed to be done through the help of acquiring newer housing policies. Even though ambiguities are still there on the subject of the surety of success, efforts have been pushed into service. Debates are going on to determine the exact scope of community cohesion and fight inequalities. At present the idea of community cohesion has also turn into a part of education in the United Kingdom and children are learning how to feel attached to their communities. Housing policies have helped the UK government to do a justice towards democracy making people's life happy and peaceful. There is need to improve not only the policies, but also to implement these policies by ensuring the steps for its implementation. Bibliography: Bauman, Z 2001, Community: Seeking Safety in an Insecure World. Polity Press Smith, I, Lepine, E & Taylor, M 2007, Disadvantaged by Where You Live Policy Press Cantle, T 2005, Community Cohesion: A New Framework for Race and Diversity, Palgrave Macmillan Wetherell, M, Laflche, M & Berkeley, R 2007, Identity, Ethnic Diversity and Community Cohesion, SAGE Pickering, S, McCulloch, J & Wright-Neville, D 2007,Counter-Terrorism Policing: Community, Cohesion and Security, Springer Boddy, M & Parkinson, M 2004, City Matters: Competitiveness, Cohesion and Urban Governance, The Policy Press Doomernik, J & Knippenberg, H, 2003, Migration and Immigrants: Between Policy and Reality: a Volume in Honour of Hans Van Amersfoort, Het Spinhuis Read More