Imagining and practising citizenship in austere times: the work of Citizens Advice

This article explores the significance of citizenship for those working in Citizens Advice, a network of voluntary organisations in the UK that exists to provide peer-to-peer advice and support to those facing problems. Drawing on a recent research study, the article considers the ways in which the...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Citizenship studies Vol. 20; no. 6-7; pp. 764 - 778
Main Authors:	Kirwan, Samuel, McDermont, Morag, Clarke, John
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Abingdon Routledge 02-10-2016 Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:	advice Austerity Austerity policy Citizens Citizenship dialogism discursive practice Discursive practices Networks United Kingdom > UK
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	This article explores the significance of citizenship for those working in Citizens Advice, a network of voluntary organisations in the UK that exists to provide peer-to-peer advice and support to those facing problems. Drawing on a recent research study, the article considers the ways in which the 'citizen in citizens advice' is imagined and translated into practice. Despite current political and policy moves to shrink citizenship (in terms of eligibility, access and substance), the 'citizen in citizens advice' is regularly thought about in expansive ways that draw on other imaginaries of citizenship. We suggest that these everyday discursive practices of citizenship are important both in analytic terms and in reinvigorating a political discussion otherwise focused upon restriction and exclusion.
ISSN:	1362-1025 1469-3593
DOI:	10.1080/13621025.2016.1191434