Taco Brandsen Livres

This book explores the practice of social innovation, a vital response to the pressing challenges faced by contemporary societies. In times of economic crisis, social innovation is seen as essential for progress. While research on social innovation has advanced significantly, a systematic analysis remains contested and incomplete. The book poses key questions: What defines social innovations? What patterns emerge at the local level? How does urban governance influence the emergence and dissemination of social innovations, and what conditions facilitate or hinder this process? To address these questions, the authors employ diverse data and methods across various contexts, focusing on innovations aimed at addressing issues faced by young unemployed individuals, single parents, and migrants. This analysis is grounded in original research conducted from 2010 to 2013 as part of a European project, involving empirical strategies across 20 cities in 10 different European countries. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of social innovation dynamics and their implications for urban governance and social challenges.

The market, the state and the third sector have all been heralded as central agents in civilizing modern societies. It has been claimed that participation in voluntary associations enables people to learn civic skills and, in effect, to become more „civilized“. Likewise, there are claims about the civilizing effects of doux commerce, the ability of trade and commerce to mitigate conflicts and convert them into peaceful competition. And according to many political and legal theories, democratic states and their institutions are the final bulwark of civil virtues. However, the voluntary sector can be a source of particularism; the market of exploitation; the state of oppression. This book, which brings together authors from across Europe, argues that such sector perspectives should be left aside and examines how the civicness and civility of organisations and individuals can be identified and encouraged in any institutional setting. Crossing traditional spheres and disciplines, we explore the concept of „civicness“ to search for the source of our modern civil society. The publication is a result of the European Network of Excellence CINEFOGO (Civil society and New Forms of Governance).