Abstract

The call for democratic structures and processes that better meet the great challenges of the present and the future is ever louder. Is it civil society, is it the numerous groups and networks of committed citizens that break up the conventional encrusted institutions of constitutional democracy and political parties and make political action more sustainable? The present anthology provides an answer: the manifold interventions of civil society offer numerous models of how a higher degree of sustainable development can be achieved through the exercise of citizens' responsibility and competence. For example, citizen participation processes are presented in which laypersons make themselves competent within a very short time and produce high-quality citizen reports. It is shown how creative and innovative citizens and citizen networks can create productive future-oriented work. The contributions on self-help models and on the design and financing of civic engagement through new foundation models, sponsorship and patronage are also convincing. Civil society thus offers manifold approaches for a new cooperation between politics, business and civil society activities.