Voices from the Margins: Policy Advocacy and Marginalized Communities

Gloria DeSantis

doi:10.22230/cjnser.2010v1n1a24

Authors

Gloria DeSantis Political Science and SPHERU University of Regina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/cjnser.2010v1n1a24

Keywords:

Nonprofit social services, marginalized communities, Social justice, policy advocacy, Civic participation / Services sociaux sans but lucratif, Communautés marginalisées, Justice sociale, Recommandation de politique, Participation civique

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This article aims to explore policy advocacy processes facilitated by social service nonprofit organizations (NPOs) using a social justice lens. Qualitative interview results from 39 NPOs from 18 communities provide a deeper understanding of advocacy, revealing that NPOs perceive that policy advocacy is not a discrete phenomenon, that advocacy activity differs in visibility and scale, and that advocacy strategies are clearly informed by NPOs' front-line service delivery work. A typology of policy advocacy showing different advocacy types and their fluid nature is presented. The results also show that marginalized people's involvement varies depending on a diversity of influential conditions. Conclusions and implications focus on social inclusion/exclusion, the varied and fluid nature of policy advocacy, challenges for practitioners, and the complex nature of "advocacy chill."

RÉSUMÉ

Les organismes sans but lucratif (OSBL) de services sociaux ont pour mission de préserver la santé des communautés au moyen de défense de politiques sociales. Toutefois, peu d'études concrètes au Canada portent sur la nature des processus en cause, en particulier lorsqu'il s'agit de politiques mises en œuvre au sein de collectivités marginalisées. Cet article a pour but d'explorer sous l'angle de la justice sociale la nature des processus défense des politiques tels qu'ils sont pratiqués par les OSBL de services sociaux. Un entretien qualitatif avec 39 OSBL issues de 18 collectivités permet une meilleure compréhension des processus. Les OSBL ne conçoivent pas défense des politiques comme un phénomène discret; les activités qui y sont reliées varient en visibilité et en étendue, et les stratégies employées sont clairement influencées par les services de première ligne qu'offrent les OSBL. Nous proposons une typologie des processus défense des politiques exposant les différents types d'approches et leur nature changeante. Les résultats indiquent que l'engagement des personnes marginalisées varie en fonction d'un certain nombre de facteurs. Les conclusions et les implications de l'étude se concentrent sur l'exclusion/l'inclusion sociale, la nature variée et changeante du processus défense de politiques, les défis auxquels font face les praticiens et la nature complexe de la réticence envers l'élaboration de politiques communément appelée « advocacy chill ».

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Gloria DeSantis, Political Science and SPHERU University of Regina

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, SPHERU and Dept Political Science

References

Abelson, J., Forest, P.-G., Eyles, J., Smith, P., Martin, E., & Gauvin, F.-P. (2003). Deliberations about deliberative methods: Issues in the design and evaluation of public participation processes. Social Science and Medicine, 57, 239-251.Alvesson, M., & Sköldberg, K. (2000). Reflexive methodology: New vistas for qualitative research. London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd.Banting, K. (2000). The nonprofit sector in Canada: Roles and relationships. Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Boris, E., & Mosher-Williams, R. (1998). Nonprofit advocacy organizations: Assessing the definitions, classifications and data. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 27(4), 488-506.Boucher, N., Fougeyrollas, P., & Gaucher, C. (2003). Development and transformation of advocacy in the disability movement of Quebec. In D. Stienstra & A. Wight-Felske (Eds.), Making equality: History of advocacy and persons with disabilities in Canada (pp. 137-162). Concord, ON: Captus Press Inc.Boudreau, R. (2006). Rehabilitating the voluntary sector initiative: Rethinking accountability and creating capacity. Saskatchewan Insitute of Public Policy Student Policy Essays (4), 25-41.Bridge, R. (2002). The law governing advocacy by charitable organizations: The case for change. The Philanthropist, 17(2), 3-33.Bridge, R., & Gilbert, N. (2005). Helping charities speak out: What funders can do. The Philanthropist, 20(2), 153-157.Broadbent, E. (1999). Building on strength: Improving governance and accountability in Canada's voluntary sector. Ottawa, ON: Panel on Accountability and Governance in the Voluntary Sector.Brock, K. (2001). Democracy is coming: The new interest in NGOs, civil society and the third sector. The Philanthropist, 16(4), 263-271.Brock, K. (2002). Improving connections betwen governments and nonprofit and voluntary organizations: Public policy and the third sector. Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Brock, K., & Banting, K. (2001a). Introduction. In K. Brock & K. Banting (Eds.), The nonprofit sector and government in a new century (pp. 1-20). Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Brock, K., & Banting, K. (Eds.). (2001b). The nonprofit sector and government in a new century. Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Broder, P. (2002). The legal definition of charity and Canada Customs and Revenue Agency's charitable registration process. The Philanthropist, 17(3), 3-55.Brooks, N. (2001). The role of the voluntary sector in a modern welfare state. In Jim Phillips, B. Chapman & D. Stevens (Eds.), Between state and market: Essays on charities law and policy in Canada. (pp. 166-216). Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Browne, P. L. (1996). Love in a cold war: The voluntary sector in an age of cuts. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.Canadian Policy Research Networks, & Ascentum Inc. (2005). Trends in public consultation in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Policy Research Networks.Cohen, D., de la Vega, R., & Watson, G. (2001). Advocacy for social justice: A global action and reflection guide. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press Inc. for Oxfam America and Advocacy Institute.Coston, J. (1998). A model and typology of government-NGO relationships. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 27(3), 358-382.D'Aubin, A. (2003). We will ride: A showcase of CCD advocacy strategies in support of accessible transportation. In D. Stienstra & A. Wight-Felske (Eds.), Making equality: History of advocacy and persons with disabilities in Canada (pp. 87-118). Concord, ON: Captus Press Inc.DeSantis, G. (2008). A critical exploration of voluntary sector social policy advocacy with marginalized communities using a population health lens and social justice. Unpublished Dissertation, University of Regina, Regina, SK.Dobson, C. (2003). The troublemaker's teaparty: A manual for effective citizen action. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers.Elson, P. (2004). Advocacy and third way politics: Canada and the United Kingdom. The Philanthropist, 18(3), 215-224.Elson, P. (2008). Where is the voice of Canada's voluntary sector? Canadian Review of Social Policy 60/61, 1-20.Enns, H. (2003). Building partnerships with international advocacy groups. In D. Stienstra & A. Wight-Felske (Eds.), Making equality: History of advocacy and persons with disabilities in Canada (pp. 301-319). Concord, ON: Captus Press Inc.Ezell, M. (2001). Advocacy in the human services. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.Fraser, N. (2003). Social justice in the age of identity politics: Redistribution, recognition, and participation. In N. Fraser & A. Honneth (Eds.), Redistribution or recognition? A political-philosophical exchange (pp. 7-109). New York, NY: Verso.Gil, D. (1992). Unravelling social policy: Theory, analysis and political action towards social equality. Rochester, VT: Schenkam Books.Graham, J., Swift, K., & Delaney, R. (2003). Canadian social policy: An introduction. Toronto, ON: Prentice Hall.Hall, M., Andrukow, A., Barr, C., Brock, K., de Wit, M., Embuldeniya, D., et al. (2005). The capacity to serve: A qualitative study of the challenges facing Canada's nonprofit and voluntary organizations. Toronto, ON: Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.Hall, M., & Banting, K. (2000). The non-profit sector in Canada: An introduction. In K. Banting (Ed.), The nonprofit sector in Canada: Roles and relationships (pp. 1-28). Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Hall, M., de Wit, M., Lasby, D., McIver, D., Evers, T., Johnston, C., et al. (2004). Cornerstones of community: Highlights of the national survey of nonprofit and voluntary organizations. Ottawa, ON: Ministry of Industry, Statistics Canada, catalogue no. 61-533-XIE.Hall, M., Lasby, D., Gumulka, G., & Tryon, C. (2006). Caring Canadians, involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2004 Canada survey of giving, volunteering and participating. Ottawa, ON: Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.Hancock, T., Labonte, R., & Edwards, R. (2000). Indicators that count! - measuring population health at the community level. Toronto, ON: Centre for Health Promotion at University of Toronto and ParticipACTION.Harvie, B. (2002). Regulation of advocacy in the voluntary sector: Current challenges and some responses. Ottawa, ON: Voluntary Sector Initiative, Government of Canada.Hick, S., & McNutt, J. (Eds.). (2002). Advocacy, activism and the internet: Community organization and social policy. Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books Inc.Institute for Media Policy and Civil Society (2002). Let charities speak: Report of the charities and advocacy dialogue. Vancouver, BC: Institute for Media Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS) in association with the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.Jansson, B. (1999). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice (3rd. ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.Jenson, J. (1998). Mapping social cohesion: The state of Canadian research. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Social Policy Research Networks.Jenson, J. (2000). Thinking about marginalization: What, who, and why - a backgrounder. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Social Policy Networks.Labonte, R., & Edwards, R. (1995). Equity in action: Supporting the public in public policy. Toronto, ON: Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto and ParticipACTION.Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd.Luther, R., & Prempeh, E. (2003). Advocacy matters: Reviving and sustaining community advocacy networks to support multiculturalism and anti-racism in the ottawa region. Ottawa, ON: Community Advocacy Action Committee on Access and Equity.McCarthy, J., & Castelli, J. (2001). The necessity for studying organizational advocacy comparatively. In P. Flynn & V. Hodgkinson (Eds.), Measuring the impact of the nonprofit sector (pp. 103-121). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.Mosley, J. (2009). Institutionalization, privatization and political opportunity: What tactical choices reveal about the policy advocacy of human service nonprofits. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, doi:10.1177/0899764009346335.Mosley, J. (2010). Organizational resources and environmental incentives: Understanding the policy advocacy involvement of human service nonprofits. Social Service Review, 84(1), 57-76.Mullaly, B. (1997). Structural social work: Ideology, theory and practice. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.Neufeldt, A. (2003). Growth and evolution of disability advocacy in Canada. In D. Stienstra & A. Wight-Felske (Eds.), Making equality: History of advocacy and persons with disabilities in Canada (pp. 11-32). Concord, ON: Captus Press Inc.Nicholson-Crotty, J. (2009). The stages and strategies of advocacy among nonprofit reproductive health providers. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(6), 1044-1053.Orsini, M., & Smith, M. (Eds.). (2007). Critical policy studies. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.Phillips, J. (2001). The federal court of appeal and the legal meaning of charity: Review and critique. In J. Phillips, B. Chapman & D. Stevens (Eds.), Between state and market: Essays on charities law and policy in Canada (pp. 219-250). Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Phillips, J., Chapman, B., & Stevens, D. (2001). Between state and market: Essays on charities law and policy in Canada. Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Phillips, S. (2001). From charity to clarity: Reinventing federal government-voluntary sector relationships. The Philanthropist, 16(4), 240-262.Phillips, S. (2009). The Harper government and the voluntary sector: Whither a policy agenda? In R. Laforest (Ed.), The new federal policy agenda and the voluntary sector (pp. 7-34). Kingston, ON: School of Policy Studies, Queen's University.Phillips, S., & Orsini, M. (2002). Mapping the links: Citizen involvement in policy processes. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Policy Research Networks.Pross, P., & Webb, K. (2003). Embedded regulation: Advocacy and the federal regulation of public interest groups. In K. Brock (Ed.), Delicate dances: Public policy and the nonprofit sector (pp. 63-122). Kingston, ON: McGill-Queen's University Press.Rektor, L. (2002). Advocacy - the sound of citizens' voices.  A position paper from the advocacy working group. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada, Voluntary Sector Initiative Secretariat.Rice, J., & Prince, M. (2003). Changing politics of Canadian social policy. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.Salamon, L., & Lessans Geller, S. (2008). Nonprofit America: A force for democracy (communique no. 9). Baltimore, MD: Centre for Civil Society Studies, Institute for Public Policy, John Hopkins University. URL: http://www.ccss.jhu.edu/pdfs/LP_Communiques/LP_Communique9_Advocacy_2008.pdf [Nov. 25, 2009].Scott, K. (2003a). Funding matters: The impact of Canada's new funding regime on nonprofit and voluntary organizations [electronic resource]. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Council on Social Development and Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations. URL: http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2003/fm/index.htm [Sept. 2, 2009].Scott, K. (2003b). Funding matters: The impact of Canada's new funding regime on nonprofit and voluntary organizations, chapter 7 [electronic resource]. . Ottawa, ON: Canadian Council on Social Development and Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations. URL: http://www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2003/fm/index.htm [Sept. 2, 2009].Sheldrick, B. (2004). Perils and possibilities: Social activism and the law. Halifax, NS: Fernwood Publishing.Shragge, E., & Fontan, J.-M. (2000). Social economy: International debates and perspectives. Montreal, QC: Black Rose Books.Stienstra, D., & Wight-Felske, A. (Eds.). (2003). Making equality: History of advocacy and persons with disabilities in Canada. Concord, ON: Captus Press Inc.Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Ltd.Vaillancourt, Y., & Tremblay, L. (Eds.). (2002). Social economy: Health and welfare in four Canadian provinces. Montreal, QC: Laboratoire de recherche sur les pratiques et politiques sociales Université du Québec à Montréal.Voluntary Sector Initiative (2001). An accord between the Government of Canada and the voluntary sector. Ottawa, ON: Privy Council Office, Government of Canada.Wharf, B., & McKenzie, B. (1998). Connecting policy to practice in the human services. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.Wight-Felske, A. (2003). History of advocacy tool kit. In D. Stienstra & A. Wight-Felske (Eds.), Making equality: History of advocacy and persons with disabilities in Canada (pp. 321-338). Concord, ON: Captus Press Inc.Yin, R. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (third ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Voices from the Margins: Policy Advocacy and Marginalized Communities

Authors

DOI:

Keywords:

Abstract

Downloads

Author Biography

Gloria DeSantis, Political Science and SPHERU University of Regina

References

Downloads

Published

Issue

Section

License

Language