In this article I aim to add to the literature on the impact of neoliberalism on community
development by focusing on two recent seemingly unrelated developments in Ireland. The
first is the reframing of ‘community development’ as ‘community activation’ in Ireland’s
latest community development programme. I suggest that this ‘community activation’ turn
marks a new departure in the social and political embedding of neoliberalism in community
development and in Irish society more broadly in that its reframing of both the identity of ‘the
poor’ and of the nature of supports that they require individualises responsibility and action.
This, I argue, not only fragments and atomises communities, it also risks foreclosing any
substantive discussion and deliberation of structural issues, thereby posing a threat to
democracy.
The second development is the concomitant emergence of a new, more critically engaged
form of community activism in the form of the so-called ‘water movement’. The actions and
aspirations of the women we interviewed within this movement highlight their role in
revitalising and re-energising communities, animating public debate and redirecting power
back into communities. Activation clearly comes in many forms and, under the shadow of
neoliberal reforms, results in many different outcomes. How or if the formal community
sector chooses to respond to this diversity and what impacts this will have will prove critical
to local communities as well as providing important avenues for future research.
Ireland ->
Dublin City University ->
Subject = Social Sciences
Ireland ->
Dublin City University ->
Publication Type = Article
Ireland ->
Dublin City University ->
Subject = Social Sciences: Political science
Ireland ->
Dublin City University ->
Status = Published
Ireland ->
Dublin City University ->
DCU Faculties and Centres = DCU Faculties and Schools: Faculty of Humanities and Social Science: School of Law and Government
Ireland ->
Dublin City University ->
Subject = Business: Economic policy
