Voices from the Margins: Policy Advocacy and Marginalized Communities

Gloria DeSantis

doi:10.22230/cjnser.2010v1n1a24

Auteurs-es

Gloria DeSantis Political Science and SPHERU University of Regina

DOI :

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

Mots-clés :

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

Résumé

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 ».

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Biographie de l'auteur-e

Gloria DeSantis, Political Science and SPHERU University of Regina

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, SPHERU and Dept Political Science

Références

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Voices from the Margins: Policy Advocacy and Marginalized Communities

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Gloria DeSantis, Political Science and SPHERU University of Regina

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