The Future of Community

international | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Sunday November 16, 2008 00:06 by The Belfast Salon - Opening up space for serious conversations in convivial company info at belfastsalon dot org

Reports of a Death Greatly Exaggerated?

Time: Tuesday 25 November 2008, 7.00 - 9.00pm

Venue: Upstairs at the Spaniard Bar, 3 Skipper Street, Belfast BT1

Throughout the western world, the family and collective institutions have certainly suffered in the face of market forces, yet ideas of localism, neighbourhood and community remain central to Northern Ireland's political life. So why do we worry that we too may be losing a ‘true sense of community’? Could it be that genuine attachments to community are being eroded by the very thing supposed to support them- relentless political intervention?

In embracing community politics are we empowering self appointed ‘community leaders’ rather than exercising real political power? Formalising moribund community relationships to the detriment of a more progressive politics? Limiting ourselves to petitioning the powerful within the status quo?

Discussion lead by Alistair Donald, one of the authors of a new book, The Future of Community, which argues that amidst major threats to social solidarities arising from the crisis of political confidence, for genuine communities to flourish we need to find space, free from official intervention, where people can confidently negotiate their own relations.

If you would like to be invited to this event, email Pauline Hadaway at belfastsalon@hotmail.com
For more information on the Belfast Salon, go to: www.belfastsalon.org

The Future of Community available on Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0745328164/ref=sib_r...dr_dp