Ideas of legality and citizenship
About
‘New Sites of Legal Consciousness: Ideas of Legality and Citizenship’ is a research project based at the University of Bristol in partnership with a small number of Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) across England and Wales.
Despite CAB having long acted as an essential meeting point between citizens, law and the state, there has been little previous study of how CAB workers think about and understand their work. This project will take an in-depth look at this work, exploring particularly how those working for CAB understand and employ the concept of ‘citizenship’, and how an attention to ‘everyday’ legal practices might shed light on the changing significance of law in personal and social problems.
The project takes place amid rapidly changing circumstances for CAB and other advice agencies. By offering a fresh perspective upon the work of CAB and its effect upon their clients and the wider community, the project will offer a range of audiences an important indication of how Bureaux are responding to these changes.
In sum the project will provide a range of audiences with new insights into the vital role played by CAB workers, as well as providing a timely description of how advice work is changing. The research findings will help CAB in explaining the importance of their work, whether to funding bodies or elsewhere, and in exploring new models for funding, organising and delivering advice.
The key questions we are seeking to answer in this project are as follows:
• What roles do ideas of legality and citizenship play in the work of CAB?
We will be looking into how those involved with CAB understand and employ the idea of citizenship, and how they see themselves in relation to ‘the law’. Answering this question will not only help us understand both the work of Bureaux, it will present a fascinating view on citizenship and legal traditions as they are actually practised and experienced.
We will be looking into how those involved with CAB understand and employ the idea of citizenship, and how they see themselves in relation to ‘the law’. Answering this question will not only help us understand both the work of Bureaux, it will present a fascinating view on citizenship and legal traditions as they are actually practised and experienced.
• What is the role of training programmes in this respect?
The CAB training is a rigorous and widely respected process. We are interested in the role it plays in the creation and cultivation of a certain ethic or approach to citizenship and advice.
The CAB training is a rigorous and widely respected process. We are interested in the role it plays in the creation and cultivation of a certain ethic or approach to citizenship and advice.
• What are the roles of legality and citizenship in the ‘social policy’ role of bureaux?
CAB have a key role in affecting policy change. We are interested in, for example, whether their role as representatives of citizens, and as citizens themselves, affects this role.
CAB have a key role in affecting policy change. We are interested in, for example, whether their role as representatives of citizens, and as citizens themselves, affects this role.
• How does the changing political and governmental environment affect the work of CAB?
Underpinning all these questions is the importance of understanding the wider changes to welfare, legal aid and other areas that are affecting the work of Bureaux. To answer these questions, the IOLAC project combines four key research methods; interviews, focus groups, ‘participant observation’ and ‘audio diaries’. These will explore the thoughts and experiences of managers and advisers, looking particularly at their relationship to the law and their understanding of ‘citizenship’.
Underpinning all these questions is the importance of understanding the wider changes to welfare, legal aid and other areas that are affecting the work of Bureaux. To answer these questions, the IOLAC project combines four key research methods; interviews, focus groups, ‘participant observation’ and ‘audio diaries’. These will explore the thoughts and experiences of managers and advisers, looking particularly at their relationship to the law and their understanding of ‘citizenship’.
This project’s web pages are currently under construction. For further information please contact Professor Morag McDermont (morag.mcdermont@bristol.ac.uk).