Advocacy with gloves on:

This article examines the strategies used by some third sector organizations in Australia to advocate.  The purpose of this article is to identify the kinds of activities that organizations in New South Wales and Queensland use to promote advocacy, the kinds of language that is used to describe these activities, and the reasons given for the particular strategies adopted.  The extent to which the organisations adopt “softer” (that is more institutional forms of advocacy) rather than more openly challenging forms of activism is examined, particularly in light of a neo-liberal political and economic environment.  In this analysis emergent strategies are identified that are not easily categorised as either “institutional” or “radical” advocacy.  The article presents an exploratory analysis of some of the implications  of the strategies adopted, in terms of their democratic effects and potential to strengthen the capacity of third sector organizations.  The article is informed by the findings of a qualitative research project involving interviews with 24 organizations in the community services and environmental fields.

Published online: 10 November 2009

From: Voluntas : international journal of voluntary and non-profit organizations, vol. 21, no 1 (March 2010), pp. 41-61

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