Research
You will find a complete range of our monographs, muti-authored and edited works including peer-reviewed, original scholarly research across the social sciences and aligned disciplines. We publish long and short form research and you can browse the complete Bristol University Press and Policy Press archive.
Policy Press also publishes policy reviews and polemic work which aim to challenge policy and practice in certain fields. These books have a practitioner in mind and are practical, accessible in style, as well as being academically sound and referenced.
It is vital that we decolonise community education and development – learning from the past in order to challenge current discrimination and oppression more effectively. In this book, Marjorie Mayo identifies ways of developing more inclusive policies and practices, working towards social justice for the future. She also tackles the pervasive influence of the ‘culture wars’ undermining work in communities, including the denial of problematic colonial legacies.
Inspired by movements such as Black Lives Matter and labour solidarity, the book includes case studies from the US, UK and the Global South, outlining the lessons that can be applied to community education and development training and practice.
Whose knowledges have been predominant and whose knowledges have been devalued as a result of slavery and colonialism? What can be learnt from strategies to decolonise the curricula in other disciplines? And what might be the lessons for decolonising the curricula in community education and development studies? While there is much to learn from other disciplines, pioneering work has already been undertaken in adult community education and development too, especially in relation to participatory action research (PAR).
Having explored these questions, this chapter concludes by focusing upon different forms of knowledge, including Indigenous forms of knowledge and experiential knowledge. How might they be critically evaluated through processes of reflexive dialogue?
The focus of this chapter is on the contested histories of adult community education and development. These histories interweave with the themes of cultural wars, the development of critical consciousness and decolonisation, threads that have relevance for more recent debates about community education and development in practice.
The projects and illustrations described relate to programmes and community initiatives in the post-Civil War context in the US and the post-Second World War context in Britain’s African colonies.
The final section reflects on potential connections with more recent initiatives to address the challenges of the legacies of Black migration from the South to the cities of the North in the US and Black and Asian migrations to Britain following the Second World War.
Culture warriors have been re-enforcing rather than challenging divisive and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, denying the significance of slavery and colonialism along with its implications for social justice agendas in the contemporary context.
These contested histories need to be faced through confronting the past in order to develop more effective strategies for change – challenging racism, discrimination and xenophobia and promoting equalities, diversity and social solidarity for the future. These ideological battles have important implications for community education and development, both in theory and in practice.
This chapter introduces the three themes that are to be explored throughout the chapters that follow: culture wars, decolonisation and the contested histories of community education and development.
This chapter explores learning from struggles for freedom and justice in South Africa, illustrating the ways in which the book’s key themes run through these experiences. South Africa had vibrant adult and community education and development programmes, including those developed via the Black Consciousness Movement. These creatively engaged with community and social movement activists, focusing on learning for decolonisation for the future.
The chapter concludes with an examination of more recent initiatives, including holistic programmes to address environmental sustainability, gender equality and social justice in the very different circumstances of post-apartheid South Africa. Here too, decolonisation emerges as a key theme and an ongoing process in the pursuit of social transformation and solidarity, demonstrating the continuing importance of working together for a sustainable future.
Cultural strategies can engage with people’s emotions, building empathetic understandings through the arts. Museums and galleries can offer unique insights, for example, reaching the parts that other forms of knowledge fail to reach. Other art forms offer similar possibilities for promoting more holistic ways of knowing and feeling, providing tools for use as part of a decolonising curriculum for community education and development.
Films can stimulate critical discussion, for example, exploring the colonial past and its legacies, as well as raising troubling questions about the roots of contemporary communal conflicts. And novels can provide examples of racism and resistance in Britain or elsewhere, including the US and Britain’s former colonies, raising significant questions for community education and community development in their turn.
How can we help children make a difference, allowing them to shape their communities, locally and globally? Drawing on a rich blend of academic research and case studies, Alison Body critically examines societal structures, including education, communities and cultural narratives, that shape children's understanding of active, philanthropic citizenship.
Children as Change-Makers calls for a reimagining of philanthropy as a form of participatory citizenship, advocating for a philanthropic ecosystem framed by justice, solidarity and collective action. It serves as a roadmap for all stakeholders – from individuals to institutions – to empower children as agents of positive social change, fostering a more just world for generations to come.
In this concluding chapter I offer a summary of the key arguments in this book, alongside a critical examination of raising children as philanthropic citizens, challenging conventional notions of philanthropy and citizenship. Through highlighting the role of children as change agents in philanthropy, I advocate for a shift towards fostering critical thinking, collective action and social justice. I emphasise the importance of defending spaces within in youth work and education for children’s agency, advocating for their right to voice, fostering collective action and redistribution of power. By challenging institutionalised notions of the ‘good citizen’ and advocating for allyship and solidarity, the chapter calls for a transformative approach to philanthropy rooted in justice. It concludes by urging a shift in funding practices towards community-led initiatives and involving children in decision-making processes, thus promoting a more inclusive and equitable philanthropic ecosystem.
This chapter critically explores the pressing concerns facing children in our ever-changing world. While climate change, human rights limitations and global conflicts loom large, there’s also hope in the form of remarkable individuals and initiatives. Here I focus on the evolving concept of childhood citizenship, examining the tension between viewing children as current stakeholders or future citizens. The UNCRC catalysed this debate, challenging traditional notions of citizenship. I advocate for a balanced approach that acknowledges children as citizens while accommodating their developmental needs. However, challenges persist, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and governmental restrictions on civil liberties. As children navigate this complex landscape, this chapter concludes by arguing that it is imperative to empower them as active participants in shaping their world.
This chapter critically explores the pivotal role of children and youth as key actors in the global climate change movement, positioning them as essential agents of change amid the urgent climate crisis. It emphasises the transformative potential of youth-led movements, shifting the focus from climate action to climate justice, and advocating for solutions that address social and ethical injustices. I highlight how civil society organisations play a crucial role in empowering children by providing platforms for engagement, educational programmes, mentorship and resources. Nonetheless, despite their significant impact, youth-led initiatives face inadequate philanthropic funding, highlighting a pressing need for transformative action. Ultimately, this chapter underscores the urgency of the climate crisis and the necessity of empowering children to actively contribute to building a sustainable and just future, despite challenges in media narratives and funding.
