The Politics of Expertise
How NGOs Shaped Modern Britain
Published on 25. April 2013
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-0-19-969187-6 (ISBN)
Description
The Politics of Expertise offers a challenging new interpretation of politics in contemporary Britain, through an examination of non-governmental organisations. Using specific case studies of the homelessness, environment, and international aid and development sectors, it demonstrates how politics and political activism has changed over the last half century.
NGOs have contributed enormously to a professionalization and a privatization of politics, emerging as a new form of expert knowledge and political participation. They have been led by a new breed of non-party politician, working in collaboration and in competition with government. Skilful navigators of the modern technocratic state, they have brought expertise to expertise and, in so doing, have changed the nature of grassroots activism. As affluent citizens have felt marginalised by the increasingly complex nature of many policy solutions, they have made the rational calculation to support NGOs, the professionalism and resources of which make them better able to tackle complex problems. Yet in doing so, support rather than participation becomes the more appropriate way to describe the relationship of the public to NGOs. As voter turnout has declined, membership and trust in NGOs has increased. But NGOs are very different types of organisations from the classic democratic institutions of political parties and the labour movement. They maintain different and varied relationships with the publics they seek to represent. Attracting mass support has provided them with the resources and the legitimacy to speak to power on a bewildering range of issues, yet perhaps the ultimate victors in this new form of politics are the NGOs themselves.
NGOs have contributed enormously to a professionalization and a privatization of politics, emerging as a new form of expert knowledge and political participation. They have been led by a new breed of non-party politician, working in collaboration and in competition with government. Skilful navigators of the modern technocratic state, they have brought expertise to expertise and, in so doing, have changed the nature of grassroots activism. As affluent citizens have felt marginalised by the increasingly complex nature of many policy solutions, they have made the rational calculation to support NGOs, the professionalism and resources of which make them better able to tackle complex problems. Yet in doing so, support rather than participation becomes the more appropriate way to describe the relationship of the public to NGOs. As voter turnout has declined, membership and trust in NGOs has increased. But NGOs are very different types of organisations from the classic democratic institutions of political parties and the labour movement. They maintain different and varied relationships with the publics they seek to represent. Attracting mass support has provided them with the resources and the legitimacy to speak to power on a bewildering range of issues, yet perhaps the ultimate victors in this new form of politics are the NGOs themselves.
Reviews / Votes
the book is splendidly learned in unfamiliar areas, and is especially strong on the three pressure-group causes of international aid, homelessness and the environment. All this constitutes a major achievement which will be welcomed by historians and social scientists of every variety. * Brian Harrison, Contemporary British History (27:4, December 2013) * This is a powerful interpretation with much to recommend it, not just because it fits with a great deal of the evidence, but because it enables the authors to pinpoint with some precision what was distinct about the post-war period, whilst tracing continuities with earlier forms of non-governmental action. * Helen McCarthy, 20th Century British History * ...an immensely useful resource for all scholars teaching and researching the history of voluntary action in modern Britain. * Helen McCarthy, English Historical Review * This is probably the most important book on postwar British political history ... The Politics of Expertise demonstrates that that the NGO sector does not, never has and probably never will operate in the way government ministers want it to. * Matthew Grant, The Political Quarterly *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
5 black and white images, numerous tables and figures
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
666 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-969187-6 (9780199691876)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2013
1st Edition
OUP Oxford
€88.39
Available for download
Persons
Matthew Hilton is the author of Smoking in British Popular Culture (2000), Consumerism in Twentieth-Century Britain (2003), and Prosperity for All: Consumer Activism in an Era of Globalisation (2009). Most recently, he is the joint author, with Nicholas Crowson, Jean-Francois Mouhot & James McKay, of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
James McKay is the co-editor of two volumes on NGOs and the voluntary sector: with Matthew Hilton and Nick Crowson, NGOs in Contemporary Britain: Non-state Actors in Society and Politics since 1945 (2009); and, with Matthew Hilton, The Ages of Voluntarism: How We Got to the Big Society (2011). Along with Matthew Hilton, Nicholas Crowson and Jean-Francois Mouhot, he is the co-author of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
Nicholas Crowson is the author of Facing Fascism: The Conservative Party and the European Dictators 1935-40 (1997), The Conservative Party and European Integration since 1945: At the Heart of Europe? (2006), and Britain and Europe: A Political History since 1918 (2010). Most recently, he is the joint author, with Matthew Hilton, Jean-Francois Mouhot & James McKay, of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
Jean-Francois Mouhot is the author of Les Refugies acadiens en France (1758-1785): limpossible reintegration? (2009), Des Esclaves Energetiques: Reflexions sur le changement climatique (2011) and co-editor (with Charles-Francois Mathis) of Une Protection de l'Environnement a la Francaise? (XIXe-XXe siecles) (2012). Most recently, he is the joint author, with Matthew Hilton, Nicholas Crowson, and James McKay, of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
James McKay is the co-editor of two volumes on NGOs and the voluntary sector: with Matthew Hilton and Nick Crowson, NGOs in Contemporary Britain: Non-state Actors in Society and Politics since 1945 (2009); and, with Matthew Hilton, The Ages of Voluntarism: How We Got to the Big Society (2011). Along with Matthew Hilton, Nicholas Crowson and Jean-Francois Mouhot, he is the co-author of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
Nicholas Crowson is the author of Facing Fascism: The Conservative Party and the European Dictators 1935-40 (1997), The Conservative Party and European Integration since 1945: At the Heart of Europe? (2006), and Britain and Europe: A Political History since 1918 (2010). Most recently, he is the joint author, with Matthew Hilton, Jean-Francois Mouhot & James McKay, of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
Jean-Francois Mouhot is the author of Les Refugies acadiens en France (1758-1785): limpossible reintegration? (2009), Des Esclaves Energetiques: Reflexions sur le changement climatique (2011) and co-editor (with Charles-Francois Mathis) of Une Protection de l'Environnement a la Francaise? (XIXe-XXe siecles) (2012). Most recently, he is the joint author, with Matthew Hilton, Nicholas Crowson, and James McKay, of A History of NGOs in Britain: Charities, Civil Society and the Voluntary Sector since 1945 (2012).
Content
1. Introduction: the privatisation of politics ; 2. Why we don't hate politics: the transformation of socio-political action ; 3. The ascent of the expert: professionals and the NGO career ; 4. The making of the modern NGO: organisational reform and financial stability ; 5. The pressure of politics: walking the corridors of power ; 6. Politics beyond Westminster: communication strategies, the media and the public ; 7. Living with Leviathan: NGOs, the state and governance ; 8. Single issue politics and the ideology of non-governmental action ; 9. Conclusion: the potential and the limits of NGOs ; Bibliography