Research

The Centre for Civil Society carries out innovative, interdisciplinary and comparative research on the study of civil society at global, national and local levels. The Centre seek not only to push theoretical frontiers but also to investigate the structure and dynamics of actually existing civil societies in diverse contexts, including their benign and less benign dimensions. Researchers at the Centre engage critically with conceptual debates around the normative and empirical content of civil society and of other similar terms such as social capital, the voluntary sector, non-profit sector, the third sector and community organisation. Researchers undertake grant-based research, commissioned research, and research consultancy work. The Centre is currently directing a major ESRC programme on Non-Governmental Public Action.

Research at the Centre has a strong applied focus. The Centre seeks to generate thinking and debate amongst policy-makers, practitioners, academics and activists in national, local and international institutions on the role of civil society organisations in service delivery, advocacy and policy-making processes. Through academic publications, public lectures, seminars, roundtables and conferences, the CCS brings together academics, policy-makers, practitioners and activists. This enables the Centre to forge links, build bridges and cultivate interactions with different actors who are engaged in the study and development of civil society.

The Centre has recently established Central Asia and South Caucasus (CASC) Social Development Network - a network of researchers and practitioners interested in social development issues in Central Asia and the South Caucasus (CASC).

Individual members of Centre staff are also involved with their own personal research. See individual entries in Who's who.

Further information is available at CCS projects and Consultancy projects

Last updated: 1 June 2006

^