American social policy former, Professor John McKnight is to speak at a free public lecture at the Centre for Research and Development in Adult and Lifelong Learning (CRADALL).

A confidant of President Obama, Professor McKnight’s views are both stimulating and inspiring.

For nearly three decades, John McKnight has conducted research on social service delivery systems, health policy, community organisations, neighbourhood policy, and institutional racism. He currently directs research projects focused on asset-based neighbourhood development and methods of community building by incorporating marginalised people.

Professor John McKnight said: “There are ways we talk about people so that they are separated from and less than us. Those ways usually have labels that go with them - for instance, welfare recipient, ex-convict, developmentally disabled.

“Labelling is a way of throwing someone out of the club. You're not one of us, you're not in. It doesn't matter what the intentions of the labels are - whether it's good or bad, it all comes out the same, somebody is going to make money by fixing you, by making you a client. The people who call other people needy are the people who need needs.”

John McKnight is presently Professor of Education and Social Policy and Co-Director, Asset-Based Community Development Institute, Northwestern University, Illinois. Before joining Northwestern, McKnight directed the Midwest office of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

The lecture entitled ‘Discovering Community Power Through Asset Based Neighbourhood Development Strategies’ is being held from 2pm to 4pm on Friday 5 June in Room 227 in the St Andrew’s Building, University of Glasgow

CRADALL Seminars are free and open to all but those attending must first register with the CRADALL office by e-mail at steven.campbell@educ.gla.ac.uk or by telephone on 0141 330 1833.

Further information:
Martin Shannon, Media Relations Officer
University of Glasgow Tel: 0141 330 8593

First published: 2 June 2009

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