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Erik Lundberg
SVEN
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Book chapter

European civil societies and the promotion of integration: Leading practices from Sweden, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Italy

2011Lundberg, E., Brundin, P., Amnå, E., & Bozzini, E.In Boje, P. & Potůček, M. (Eds.), Social Rights, Active Citizenship and Governance in the European Union. Baden-Baden: Nomos

What is this study about?

The study examines how civil society organisations can contribute to integration and active citizenship in European societies. Through examples from Sweden, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Italy, it analyses working methods and initiatives in which organisations seek to create opportunities for participation, social contacts and societal inclusion. The comparative perspective makes visible how civil society's role is shaped in different national and institutional contexts.

What did we find?

How can civil society contribute to integration in practice? The study identifies examples of working methods in which organisations create meeting places, opportunities for participation and paths into society for people with different backgrounds. At the same time, the comparison shows that there is no single model for how this happens. The organisations' working methods and conditions vary between countries and are influenced by the relationship between civil society, public institutions and the groups the organisations work with.

Why does it matter?

Integration is not only about work, education and public measures but also about opportunities to participate in social communities and in societal life. Civil society organisations can create such arenas and function as links between people, local communities and public institutions. At the same time, the study shows why civil society's contribution to integration needs to be understood in its institutional context: the opportunities organisations have to promote participation and active citizenship also depend on how the relationship between state and civil society is organised.

Citation

Lundberg, E., Brundin, P., Amnå, E., & Bozzini, E. (2011) European civil societies and the promotion of integration: Leading practices from Sweden, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Italy. In Boje, P. & Potůček, M. (Eds.), Social Rights, Active Citizenship and Governance in the European Union. Baden-Baden: Nomos 121–132

Research area

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