This open access book focuses on the role of civil society in the creation, dissemination, and interpretation of knowledge in geographical contexts. It offers original, interdisciplinary and counterintuitive perspectives on civil society. The book includes reflections on civil and uncivil society, the role of civil society as a change agent, and on civil society perspectives of undone science. Conceptual approaches go beyond the tripartite division of public, private and civic sectors to propose new frameworks of civic networks and philanthropic fields, which take an inclusive view of the connectivity of civic agency across sectors. This includes relational analyses of epistemic power in civic knowledge networks as well as of regional giving and philanthropy. The original empirical case studies examine traditional forms of civic engagement, such as the German landwomen's associations, as well as novel types of organizations, such as giving circles and time banks in their geographical context. The book also offers insider reflections on doing civil society, such as the cases of the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, epistemic activism in the United States, and the #FeesMustFall movement in South Africa.

About the Author

Johannes Gluckler is Professor of Economic and Social Geography and Fellow of the Marsilius Center for Advanced Studies at Heidelberg University, Germany. In his research he follows a relational perspective and builds on theories of social networks and institutions in the study of the geography of knowledge and regional development. He is a founding board member of the German Society for Social Network Research DGNet and co-founder of the M.Sc. Governance of Risks and Resources at the Heidelberg Center for Latin America in Santiago de Chile.

Heinz Dieter Meyer is Professor of Education Governance and Policy (MA Sociology, Goettingen University, Germany; PhD Organization Theory, Cornell University, USA. Interests: Theory, Policy, Civil Society; Mindfulness in Education. Authorships: "The Design of the University: German, American, 'World Class'"; Meyer / Benavot: "PISA, Power, Policy" (w/ Benavot); Meyer / Rowan: "The New Institutionalism in Education". Meyer / Boyd: "Education between States, Markets, and Civil Society". Awards: National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH); Harman Fellow, Harvard University.

Laura Suarsana is research associate at the University of Bremen, Germany, where she works on regional innovation and regional network governance. Before, she was research associate at the Economic Geography Research Group at the Institute of Geography at Heidelberg University and has been co-editor of several volumes of the Springer books series on Knowledge & Space. Her research focuses on the relation between civil society, innovation and regional development, as well as on the analysis of networks in civil society, philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. She also has experience as a practitioner in regional development, having worked several years for a regional development agency.

Book Information
ISBN 9783030711467
Author Johannes Gluckler
Format Hardback
Page Count 316
Imprint Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher Springer Nature Switzerland AG