The Future of Community: Reports of a Death Greatly Exaggerated

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We are constantly being told that communities are under threat, that we are losing a ‘sense of community’. This book finds that the notion of community in Britain is actually threatened by the very thing intended to protect it; relentless government and third party interventions bent on imposing their own forms of social cohesion on the population. There is no doubt that modern societies, underpinned by a ruthlessly competitive and individualistic economic system, have undermined ties of family, solidarity and commonality. However, when an idea of community is articulated it is almost invariably along conservative and reactionary lines - with unelected spokespersons unquestionably accepted as 'community leaders', and with formal contractual relationships taking the place of 'traditional' social order. The short, punchy articles in this book criticise attempts by the state and other agencies to correct the so-called collapse of communities. This book is for students and citizens looking to get beyond the hysterical rhetoric of the government and media to find out about the real communities of the 21st century.

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Austin Williams is author of The Enemies of Progress (2008). He is the founder of ManTownHuman, director of the Future Cities Project, visiting tutor at the Royal College of Art, author and illustrator of 'Shortcuts' and editor of NBS TV. Dave Clements writes on social policy, and works as a policy adviser in children's social care. He has written widely for publications including Guardian Unlimited, spiked-online and Community Care Magazine.Alastair Donald is researching Urban Systems and Metropolitan Design at the Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies, University of Cambridge.Martin Earnshaw was a convenor of the 2006 Future of Community conference, held at Central St Martins.