Citizenship and Social Development

Litsa Nicolaou-Smokoviti is Professor Emeritus of Economy at the University of Piraeus (Greece).
Heinz Sünker is Professor of Social Pedagogy and Social Policy at the University of Wuppertal (Germany).
Julia Rozanova is Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Therapy at the University of British Columbia (Canada).
Victoria Pekka Economou is Professor in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Piraeus.

This interdisciplinary book includes contributions from scholars from different parts of the world from the fields of political science, economy, sociology, social work, philosophy, and education. The major topics deal with contemporary challenges in social analysis, social theories, social policy, social work. Its special focus is aiming at questions of social development in the context of citizen's participation and involvement in social welfare and social policy. Therefore the overall perspective is connected to questions of democracy in theory and practice, the question of the democratisation of all institutions and of everyday life. The contributions gain a special relevance in the contemporary time of social crisis - both within and beyond the European Union.

This interdisciplinary book includes international contributions from the fields of political science, economy, sociology, social work, philosophy and education. The major topics deal with contemporary challenges in social analysis, social theories, social policy, social work. It emphasizes the relevance of citizen participation and its mediation.

Contents: Azril Bacal: Paths of Citizen Participation And Responsibility - In Shaping Individual and Community Involvement with Matters of Social Policy and Praxis. Searching for a "Planetarium Commons" - Francesco Garibaldo: The Rise and Decline of Citizenship in Europe - Stamatina Hadjidema/Victoria Pekka-Economou: Knowledge Management as a Strategic Enabler for Improved Social and Economic Cohesion through a Sustainable Learning Society - Stefanos Koffas: Trends and Particularities of the Socio-Political Pluralism in Greece and Germany. The Effect of Culture and Mentality as Factors of Different Thinking and Action in the Practice of the Socio-Political Pluralistic Model - Heinz Sünker: Henri Lefebvre's Legacy of the Micro- and Macro-Problems in Social Analysis - György Széll: Towards a Global Civil Society? - Michael Vester: Participatory or Authoritarian Democracy: Alternatives of Society's Organization in the Crisis of Capitalism - Gabriel Amitsis: Activation as a Challenge for Fragmented Welfare States: The Balance between Law and Policies in the European Welfare Regime - P.P. Balan: Decentralised Planning and Poverty Reduction (The Case of Kerala) - Imraan Buccus: Creating new Spaces for Marginalised Groups to Engage in Policy Making in South Africa - Marte Feiring: Politicisation of Self-Help in Norway - Adrian Hatos: Vocabularies of Community Involvement in Urban Romania - Inta Mierina: Political Efficacy - Understanding Low Levels of Political Participation in Post-Soviet Countries - Ruth McAlister: Closing the Gap: Creating Effective Public Participation in Northern Ireland - Padmini Rangarajan: Institutional Participation and Responsibility towards Education Sri Sharadamatha Balavedika - A Part of Ramakrishna Math - A Case Study - José G. Vargas-Hernández/Mohammad Reza Noruzi: Economic, Social and Political Scenarios of Mexico in the Next Two Decades - Mirella Baglioni: Trade Unions and Social Networks - Mirella Baglioni/Mariella Berra: ICT Communication Networks and Social Cohesion. The Web Immigration Portal - John Curtice/Stratos Patrikios: The Voice of the Community: Social-Public Economic Inequalities and User Involvement in Public Services - Aikaterina Economou: New Employee Participation Approaches and its Socioeconomic Influences in the New Economic Era: The Case of Team Work as a Corporate Social Initiative - Silia Nikolaidou: Social Sensibility and Social Involvement - Debi S. Saini: Sustainable Development through Community Participation: The Role of Self-Help Groups in India - Pawel Starosta: The Political Participation of Rural Population in Central Poland - Olga Stassinopoulou: Promoting User Participation through the Third Sector - A Controversial Aspect of Greek Psychiatric Reform - Christina Vayas: Networking for Local Social Policy Development: The Municipal or District Social Policy Council - Dimosthenis Daskalakis: Aspects of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Childhood - Theoretical Analysis and Experiences from Athens Area - Cornelia Delouka-Inglessi: The Commercialised Child: The Case of TV Advertising aimed at Children and the EU's Regulatory Protective Measures Offered by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive - Vera Anatol'evna Gnevasheva: Social and Cultural Value Orientations of Russian Youth: The Theoretical and Empirical Researches - Biijan Pant: Women's Participation in Development: The Role of I/NGOs in Nepal - Julia Rozanova: Social Participation of Older Rural Women in Canada: Insights from a Critical Feminist Perspective - Stefanos Spaneas: Collaboration in Children's Social Services: Towards the Generation of a Different