March/April 2004
Research and Training

Participation and Community Cohesion on University Agenda

Practitioners, policy makers, and academics from across the North of England were at a University conference recently to reflect on the progress of Community Cohesion practice.

'Participation and Community Cohesion in the North: Making the Connections' was held in partnership with the Government Offices for the North West and Yorkshire and Humber.

Participants were invited to share ideas and work relating to Community Cohesion and the forms of participation that can best contribute to bridging growing 'distances' between people of different cultures, faiths, generations, geographic locations and social classes.

Head of the Centre Professor Jenny Pearce and Head of the University's Department of Peace Studies Dr Shaun Gregory with keynote speaker Labour MP and former Home Office Minister John Denham (centre)

The Government's framework on Community Cohesion has been in place for two years and its agenda was first launched following riots in Northern towns and the consequent Denham report in December 2001.

The event, which marks the launch of the University's Department of Peace Studies' International Centre for Participation Studies, welcomed the report author, Labour MP and former Home Office Minister John Denham, as keynote speaker.

Head of the International Centre for Participation Studies at the University, Professor Jenny Pearce, said: "The themes of the conference reflected a consultation process involving practitioners and policy makers from the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber to capture the current concerns and debates in the field.

"The conference examined whether community cohesion provides a framework for increasing participation, and if fostering participation helps to achieve increased community cohesion."

16 April 2004

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