Introduction

This chapter considers some of the issues that arise in service development and research that limits itself exclusively to community representatives, often self-appointed but sometimes elected, as sources of information. It explores the dynamic between community representatives, and the potential for interdependence with other key actors within the community setting in representing race-related issues, from specific and, arguably exclusive, perspectives that preclude the opportunities for other members of communities to articulate their views about what is happening in the development of social policy concerned with minority ethnic populations. The author argues that service development and research projects must counterbalance the dominance of these influences. In this way they might ensure that the range of views and ideas about how to tackle the issue of racism, including asylum and immigration concerns, on the ground becomes much more inclusive.

The chapter draws on the personal experiences of the author using two ethnographic case studies, one based in a northern city and the other in a southern conurbation. They both illustrate similar patterns of what have been described not only as ‘injustices of recognition’ (Aspinal, 2002) but also, in more appropriate terms, as ‘injustices of engagement’ (Temple and Steel, 2004, p 542).

The debate centres on the role of individuals in socially fragmented and isolated communities who are placed at centre stage as ‘spokespersons’ and asked to comment, on behalf of a wider community, on key public policy initiatives of which they may have little understanding. Issues of legitimacy and validity are often ignored for short-term gain by institutions of the state and local government. This is more evident within established black and minority ethnic communities, including refugee communities. The inherent dangers of institutional engagement with a small, self-selecting, and often self-serving, group of individuals are now being repeated with new sub-populations recently arrived in the UK.

As other writers have explored the relationship between public service provision and stakeholders (that is, local people and communities) (Ahmad and Sheldon, 1993; Modood et al, 1997; Temple, 2002; Temple and Chahal, 2002), I would like to focus on the perspectives of three key actors on the community stage and, in particular, on what could be described as a ‘relationship of interdependence’. This will become evident through the two case studies.