4A.5a Flashcards
How can social issues contribute to political disengagement
Social issues can leave people feeling disengaged if they are perceived to not be getting the same opportunities as others
-This may be through social injustice through treatment or misrepresentation
What is civic engagement
Civic engagement is ways in which people participate in their community to improve others quality of life or shape their communities future E,g voting
What is political apathy
Political apathy is where people are unwilling to accept their living conditions but feeling powerless to create change. It creates political disengagement and community disengagement
-They may see the governments as the one wielding power and influence
How do statistics reflect variations in political engagement
- results show a decline in political engagement for those aged 18-23
- National election turnout fell from 77.7% in 1992 to 59.4% in 2001
- However the last elections saw 66.2% turnout so patterns are complex
What are the key factors affecting political engagement
- increased political engagement is often linked to increased mobilisation of community groups
- age - with increasing age comes increasing engagement ~ especially when it is combined with length of residency
- length of residence~ new migrants and students might have less strong attachments than long standing locals
- Ethnicity - non white British may differ in views due to social antipathy and acceptance
- Levels of deprivation - high levels of deprivation may be associated with anti establishment views
- Gender - Less representation may lead to political apathy
What are other factors affecting engagement
- where there is an issue to be addressed participation is often higher e.g the decision not to fly the British flag outside Belfast town hall sparked loyalist protest
- the electoral committee suggests that those who experience social deprivation are likely to be most excluded
- political engagement often reflects a need to respond to changes from the outside -> George Galloways respect party took advantage of the Arab spring / Iraqi war to unexpectedly win a by election in Bradford west with 52% of the vote
How has social media affected political engagement
- The rise of clictivism (organising a protest online or showing your support for one by simply liking a photo) and online campaigning is starting to change the ways in which political engagement occurs
- There is increasing evidence of social media groups acting on media injustices and motivating others to take action online e.g the all out group has successfully mobilised the support on a number of LGBT issues worldwide
What are the factors affecting community involvement
Gender - both women and men working at home likely to be more included in community
Length of residence - the longer someone has lived in a place , the stronger their sense of loyalty to the place and the greater their local knowledge so there is more community involvement
Age - the older someone is the more attachment they are likely to have to that place
Deprivation- those who are deprived may feel excluded from the community and therefore may be less likely to be involved in the community
Ethnicity - minorities may be likely to be loyal to a region if there is a strong minority population in that area
How can the DAWGES acronym tell us about experience of a place
D- disability A-age W-wealth G-gender E-ethnicity S- sexuality
What were the main causes of the London riots in 2011
- Youth disengagement, urban and inner city decline and economic decline
- Police mistreatment and racial tensions~ black people 9x more likely to be stopped
- austerity and public service cuts ( increased tuition fees and EMA cuts leading to high unemployment
- Combined with opportunist theft, copycat violence and social media spread
What are the key statistics about the riots
- 5000 arrests
- 200 million property damage
- 5 deaths
- 1000 criminal charges
What was the background to the riots in Tottenham and haringey specifically
- The London borough of Haringey has seen continual decline since the 1970s. Illegal landlords pack families into flats and houses and the gang culture makes integrating hard
- The broad water farm estate was a key location in the riots and was also integral to the 1980s riots
What regeneration plans are underway in Tottenham
- The mayor of London has invested £28 million in Tottenham however this will only benefit some as it will spark regeneration that may force some locals out
- The rebuilding of the peacock industrial estate has created 3000 jobs. However it required the temporary or permanent closure of small businesses such as small scale furniture, clothing and chemical company’s all unique to London’s economy. To offset the impact of this design company’s such as N17 have hired young apprentices to plan the regeneration of Tottenham
- The council has arranged for ARUP planning and design consultancy to build 10,000 new homes in two housing zones around Tottenham Hale station. However this has caused upset with local residents who feel they will be priced out -> unfair on those who are living in illegal landlord accommodation
- Tottenham Hotspur have built a new £430 million pound stadium which will hopefully be the catalyst for socio economic change with the regeneration of surrounding areas -> local residents fear the benefits of the regeneration will be felt primarily by the new residents who move in. Affordable housing is a requirement as part of the stadium build
What is the main opposition to this regeneration
- The main opposition to this regeneration comes in the form of local activist group “our Tottenham” . Our Tottenham opposes regeneration due to the fear of social cleansing, identity being lost and locals not feeling the benefit. It is supported by local groups such as N17
- There is a feeling of inequality amongst locals as only high incomes benefit from regeneration
- They are currently opposing the council buying property on Gourlay Triangle as they feel it is a move to try and close local businesses
- They are also opposing haringeys councils decision to buy 177 units of Tottenham Hale way site
What is needed to investigate the need for the regeneration
- To investigate the need for regeneration needed is
- Statistical evidence
- Different media
