• Summary: This article analyses the ‘Big Society’ agenda of the UK coalition government as a response to New Labour’s regulation of society through incentives, contracts, targets and micro-management.
• Findings: It argues that two sides of the programme are relevant for social work. Initially, most attention has understandably focused on the public spending cuts – rolling back the state and transferring responsibilities to voluntary organizations. But in the longer term, of equal significance will be its emphasis on increased citizen participation, empowered communities and collective action.
• Applications: This agenda poses challenges and opportunities for a practice which is less individualistic, formal and desk-bound; but it also raises issues about the wider solidarities upon which equality and social justice depend.
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