Which Side Are You On? Community Workers In, Against And For The State

Abstract

One could be forgiven for assuming that these lines from In and Against the State were written today for, without doubt, the ostensible parallels between these and current events are clear. I say ostensible because, published in 1980, these words are conveying a state of affairs, and relationship with the state, which is very different to that in which community workers find themselves today. Using the original publication as my main point of reference, I will examine the relevance of the ‘in and against the state’ argument for today’s community worker. Essentially, this argument highlights the ambivalent nature of the role of the community worker, given its intermediary position between the state and community.  This article will explore the extent to which the tensions this produces still exist and will examine whether the adoption of an anti-state position might be a relevant concern for community workers today.