New Academic Publications

Paddison, R.; Docherty, I. and Goodlad, R. (2008) “Responsible Participation and Housing: restoring democratic theory to the scene, Housing Studies 23(1): 129-147.

This article focuses on the challenges posed for representative democracy both by participatory democratic practices and by the current emphasis on (so-called) responsible participation. Based on the example of ‘community’ housing associations in Scotland, this paper explores these tensions. It is argued that the critique of responsibility may have been overstated, that, in particular, ‘community’ housing associations offer the basis for relatively more inclusive and effective processes of decision making than council housing, which relies on the traditional processes and institutions of representative local government for its legitimacy.

Flint, J. (2008) 'Governing Sectarianism in Scotland', Scottish Affairs, 63: 107-124.

This article focuses on the contemporary emergence of the governance of sectarianism in Scotland and draws parallels between the Respect and community cohesion agendas in England and Wales. It argues that the similarity lies in the ambitious attempt to bring about cultural shifts in populations and to recode social conduct. These ambitions and actions of government raise important questions about how citizenship and national identity are constructed in Scotland.