Six Community development, venture philanthropy and neoliberal governmentality: a case from Ireland
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Niamh McCrea
Abstract
This chapter considers the alliance between a venture philanthropy foundation and a community development organisation campaigning on migrant workers’ rights in Ireland. Drawing on Foucault’s concept of governmentality, the chapter suggests that the organisation’s worker mobilisation strategies and its alliances with trade unions contradict the neoliberal capitalist origins of its funder. It is argued that philanthropic funding does not inevitably moderate community development’s political goals. However, its worker empowerment agenda cannot be regarded as a complete victory for counter-hegemonic rationalities given Irish trade unionism’s complicity within the complicated history of Irish neoliberalisation. The chapter thus cautions against viewing the relationship between community development and philanthropy — or between community development and neoliberalism – in either/or terms and points to the narrowing space for resistance outside the parameters of neoliberal governmentality itself.
Abstract
This chapter considers the alliance between a venture philanthropy foundation and a community development organisation campaigning on migrant workers’ rights in Ireland. Drawing on Foucault’s concept of governmentality, the chapter suggests that the organisation’s worker mobilisation strategies and its alliances with trade unions contradict the neoliberal capitalist origins of its funder. It is argued that philanthropic funding does not inevitably moderate community development’s political goals. However, its worker empowerment agenda cannot be regarded as a complete victory for counter-hegemonic rationalities given Irish trade unionism’s complicity within the complicated history of Irish neoliberalisation. The chapter thus cautions against viewing the relationship between community development and philanthropy — or between community development and neoliberalism – in either/or terms and points to the narrowing space for resistance outside the parameters of neoliberal governmentality itself.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Rethinking Community Development ix
- Acknowledgements x
- Notes on contributors xi
- Politics, power and community development: an introductory essay 1
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Thinking politically
- The politics of deploying community 31
- Changing community development roles: the challenges of a globalising world 47
- Community organising and political agency: changing community development subjects in India 65
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Practising politics
- Identity politics, community participation and the making of new places: examples from Taiwan 85
- Community development, venture philanthropy and neoliberal governmentality: a case from Ireland 103
- A shifting paradigm: engendering the politics of community engagement in India 121
- The politics of diversity in Australia: extending the role of community practice 139
- The politics of environmental justice: community development in Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazonia 159
- The politics of democracy and the global institutions: lessons and challenges for community development 179
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Politicising the future
- Disability arts: the building of critical community politics and identity 199
- Service delivery protests in South Africa: a case for community development? 217
- Community development and commons: on the road to alternative economics? 235
- Index 253
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Rethinking Community Development ix
- Acknowledgements x
- Notes on contributors xi
- Politics, power and community development: an introductory essay 1
-
Thinking politically
- The politics of deploying community 31
- Changing community development roles: the challenges of a globalising world 47
- Community organising and political agency: changing community development subjects in India 65
-
Practising politics
- Identity politics, community participation and the making of new places: examples from Taiwan 85
- Community development, venture philanthropy and neoliberal governmentality: a case from Ireland 103
- A shifting paradigm: engendering the politics of community engagement in India 121
- The politics of diversity in Australia: extending the role of community practice 139
- The politics of environmental justice: community development in Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazonia 159
- The politics of democracy and the global institutions: lessons and challenges for community development 179
-
Politicising the future
- Disability arts: the building of critical community politics and identity 199
- Service delivery protests in South Africa: a case for community development? 217
- Community development and commons: on the road to alternative economics? 235
- Index 253