Publications

This think piece, written by Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International and International Advisory Board member, examines why - despite all the citizen mobilisation around tackling the convergent crises of our time - humanity is still failing to deliver solutions commensurate with the urgency and scale of the global challenges we face, such as the implosion of the global financial system; escalating poverty; the threats of terrorism, trafficking and organised crime; and escalating concerns over energy security and climate change. Setting the role of UK civil society organisations in a global context, this paper aims to determine the responsibilities of UK civil society in supporting social movements in other countries with weaker democratic traditions and fewer resources at their disposal.

The Inquiry’s futures work found that people were concerned about the marginalisation of dissent in the UK, Ireland and in the global context. To explore this issue further, we hosted a series of events to explore various issues surrounding the marginalisation of dissent in relation to the work of civil society associations, and what the particular roles of civil society associations are in enabling dissent.

An overview of the findings of these events will be available to download by the end of March.

This paper summarises the presentations and discussions of a public event hosted by the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society as part of Edinburgh's annual Festival of Politics. More than 100 civil society representatives gathered at the event, held at the Scottish Parliament in August 2009, to debate how they could use their ‘moral muscle’ to help build a fairer, more sustainable economy.

Making good society, the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society, argues that civil society has been pushed to the margins in key areas including politics, finance and the media and that this must change. The report explores how civil society activity can help: grow a more civil economy; enable a rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy; democratise media ownership and content; and grow participatory and deliberative democracy.

The Commission hopes that the evidence and ideas provided in this report and the direction of travel it sets for a ‘good’ society will inspire individuals and organisations to act and invest in civil society activity.

Climate change and resource scarcity have always been issues of social justice - the people likely to feel their effects more markedly and are likely to be people already suffering some form of deprivation. This report, written by the new economics foundation, maps out the challenges facing civil society associations over the next 30 years; explores the interplay between social justice, resource scarcity and climate change in the UK and Ireland; identifies how civil society associations are addressing climate justice; and puts forward a number of recommendations for the future role of civil society associations in achieving a rapid and just transition.

This guide, written by Tony Kendle of the Eden Project in association with the Sensory Trust, is targeted at non-environmental civil society groups in order to emphasise a particular and crucial point – that the threats of climate change and resource scarcity have to be seen as much more than ‘environmental’ challenges. Unless there is the engagement of a wider spectrum of civil society associations, focusing on the issues from their own positions of strength and experience, the potential impacts of climate change and resource scarcity may not be identified effectively and better solutions may not be found in time.

The production and circulation of independent, quality news is a hallmark of democratic societies. The demise of traditional media business models in the UK and Ireland demands a critical consideration of what the public wants news for and how it can be delivered. The digital age has provided a growing plethora of media outlets, and people can publish content more easily than ever, but the domination of a limited number of international news organisations is a significant threat to pluralism in the media. Protecting and enhancing a diversity of viewpoints is becoming ever more vital and civil society has a crucial role to play. This report, written by Goldsmiths Leverhulme Media Research Centre, provides a series of recommendations for civil society associations, media industries and policy-makers to help achieve this goal.

This report, by researchers at the University of Bradford, looks at the roles civil society associations in the UK can and do play in encouraging dialogue and deliberation; at the challenges they face in this work; and at how some of these challenges may be met. The findings of the report are particularly relevant to policy-makers and independent funders seeking to develop a more deliberative culture. The report is also particularly relevant for civil society associations who want to develop their own deliberative processes as a means to engage with their internal stakeholders and/or to interact with other groups in society.

Over 70% of UK civil society organisations use social media — websites, services and applications that allow users to engage in social behaviours online or on a mobile phone — but research shows it is not always being used effectively. Poor web design, a lack of stakeholder engagement and common misconceptions about user groups are some issues. Resistance to new technology by management and trustees is also causing problems. In this report, Suw Charman-Anderson combines extensive research and analysis of current trends with a vision for the future that envisages how developments in social technologies will shape the social web and society.

Civil society associations can run businesses and they can run organisations that aim to influence businesses. Together, these two sorts of association help to grow a civil economy. This paper, written by the Open University, reviews the history of the civil economy and looks ahead to how it may come to have a greater influence in the future.

This publication will be available to download by the end of March.