‘Social inclusion and local practices of belonging‘, Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 1, 3, 2009
The paper argues for the importance of considering relational aspects (the connections between people and the wider society) when developing social inclusion policies. Central to these relational aspects is a sense of belonging, which can be achieved through everyday practices, rather than in being a member of a group.
The paper looks at two local projects in the New South Wales Northern Rivers area: the Lismore Living Library project and an Anzac Day peace project called ‘Remembering and Healing Old Wounds’. There is an examination of how the local community reacted to new ways of viewing Anzac Day. The paper also considers media coverage of the Cronulla riot of 2005 and the concept of ‘being a local’.