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Policy Initiatives Towards Civil Society in Germany

A Story of Missed Opportunities?

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Book cover Policy Initiatives Towards the Third Sector in International Perspective

Part of the book series: Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies ((NCSS))

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Notes

  1. 1.

     I do not wish to enter into the ongoing debate on terminology in the context of this paper. Broadly speaking, “Third Sector”, “Organized Civil Society” and “Civic Sector” will be used as synonyms, preference being given to “Civic Sector”, which, following Joel Fleishman’s recent publication on foundations (The Foundation: a Great American Secret. New York: Public Affairs 2007) seems to me to be both clearer and more assertive than either of the other two.

  2. 2.

     I uphold the view that Zivilgesellschaft is the proper translation of civil society on the ‘civic ­sector’ to mean the host of voluntary, self organized, non governmental, not profit distributing, autonomous organizations in as much as they represent a political factor, whilst Buergergesellschaft, correctly translated as civic society, describes an abstract societal ideal of citizens’ involvement.

  3. 3.

     The Maecenata Institute for Third Sector Studies became the Maecenata Institute for Philanthropy and Civil Society at Humboldt University, Berlin (Maecenata Institut fuer Philanthropie und Zivilgesellschaft an der Humboldt Universitaet zu Berlin) in 2004.

  4. 4.

     The SPD suggested five members, the CDU/CSU three, and the FDP, Greens, and PDS each one member, and the same number of experts for appointment, which was unanimous. I served as an expert member, upon suggestion by the FDP.

  5. 5.

     Some evidence for this may be surmised by analyzing statements made by trade union leaders in private. I was witness to one such statement.

  6. 6.

     Umbrella organisations represented included Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Freien Wohlfahrtspflege (BAGFW – social and health services), Deutscher Kulturrat (arts), Verein der Nicht-Regierungsorganisationen (VENRO – NGOs active internationally), Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR – nature conservation), Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund (DOSB – Sports), Deutscher Spendenrat (Fundraising), Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen (Foundations). Experts were invited from (i.a.) Bucerius Law School, Deutsches Zentralinstitut fuer soziale Fragen, and the Maecenata Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maecenata Institute, Humboldt University Berlin, Albrechtstrasse, 22, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Rupert G. Strachwitz

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  1. Rupert G. Strachwitz
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Correspondence to Rupert G. Strachwitz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Israeli Center for Third Sector Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel

    Benjamin Gidron

  2. Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Giv'at Ram, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel

    Michal Bar

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Strachwitz, R.G. (2010). Policy Initiatives Towards Civil Society in Germany. In: Gidron, B., Bar, M. (eds) Policy Initiatives Towards the Third Sector in International Perspective. Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1259-6_4

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