Introduction

For some years, we have observed a broad public discussion over the shrinking civic space. While the focus has generally been on countries with authoritarian governance systems, it has more recently become apparent that the issue is neither restricted to these countries nor indeed to countries with weak or non-existing democracies. It has been demonstrated that the space in which civil society actors and individual citizens may contribute to public affairs is undergoing fundamental changes in Europe. While in some areas, the clout of civic initiative is larger today than ever before, in others, civic action is highly disputed and governments are attempting to crowd out non-governmental actors from the public sphere.

About the Volume

This edited volume examines the wellbeing of civil society in the Europe and its riparian states. Presented by experts from 12 European countries, the book presents insights into the latest developments of civil society and aspects like the shifting interaction between the state, market, and civil society or the influence of populist movements on civil society and tackles the question whether there is a shrinking civic space in Europe. It addresses policy and decision makers, civil society academics and actors in the field, as well as the public.