e-space
Manchester Metropolitan University's Research Repository

    Problems with "bridging the gap": the reversal of structure and agency in addressing social exclusion

    Colley, Helen and Hodkinson, Phil (2001) Problems with "bridging the gap": the reversal of structure and agency in addressing social exclusion. Critical social policy, 21 (3). pp. 335-359. ISSN 0261-0183

    [img]
    Preview
    Accepted Version
    Download (95kB) | Preview

    Abstract

    The Social Exclusion Unit's Report Bridging the Gap has had a major influence on the British government's policy towards socially excluded young people. This article argues, however, that the Report contains fundamental contradictions in its analysis of non-participation in learning and the solutions proposed. Despite appearing to re-instate a concern for the social, it locates the causes of non-participation primarily within individuals and their personal deficits. Yet it denies individuality and diversity by representing the socially excluded as stereotyped categories. In a flawed move, the Report presents non-participation not just in correlation to a raft of other social problems, but as cause to their effect. Deep-seated structural inequalities are rendered invisible, as social exclusion is addressed through a strongly individualistic strategy based on personal agency. At the same time, measures to enhance individual agency, notably the new 'ConneXions' service, are formulated within a prescriptive structural framework. Structure and agency are thus reversed in current English policy approaches. While such approaches will doubtless assist some young people, there is a significant risk that they may make things worse for others.

    Impact and Reach

    Statistics

    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    853Downloads
    6 month trend
    273Hits

    Additional statistics for this dataset are available via IRStats2.

    Repository staff only

    Edit record Edit record