The conference will reflect the new challenges NGOs are facing in the contemporary world both in Russia and European countries, the most significant and influential of which are produced by globalization and the decline of welfare states. Although both these processes present challenges to civil societies and citizens, they also provide new structure of opportunities, to increase self-help activities, self-organization and NGO and civil society development. Papers will be considered which seek to address topics related to the following questions:

What are the main tendencies of NGO developments in a particular or different country(ies) from the perspective of your field of research?

What theoretical approaches and models are appropriate and fruitful for research on NGOs?

How can the decline of welfare states and other economic factors influence NGO development?

What are the main consequences of transnationalization and globalization and other elements of contemporary politics for NGOs?

In the framework of the Conference, it is planned to have two plenary sessions and four panels: Civil Society, Democracy and Social Capital: Mythos or Reality? NGOs in Politics: Interest Intermediation or Governance? Economy and Civil Society: Social Market Economy or Social Responsibility of Business? Solidarities and Internal Structure in NGOs: Voluntarism vs. Social Entrepreneurship?

Organiser: The Center for German and European Studies, St. Petersburg State University, in cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation

For further informationL http://www.zdes.spb.ru/index.php?option=com_content&;task=view&id=287&Itemid=57