Change agent capacity-building compendium.Due to increasing globalization, technological advances and sociological changes, the world is becoming more complex than ever. Complexity has gone from large systems, to organizational and individual levels. Today it concerns all aspects of society. The will …

Over the last 40 years, Sport for All policies – aiming at encouraging the sports participation of all citizens, regardless of age, sex, social class, ethnic origin, etc. – were implemented in a number of European countries. This study examines the extent to which a democratisation of club-organised …

As the state retracts further in the Netherlands, the role of civil society increases. Only now the impact becomes visible due to changing arrangements in the social domain. Since enormous cuts in the welfare budgets have been implemented; creative innovations by civil initiatives are much needed to …

Ark of Inquiry is a learning platform that uses a computer-based inquiry learning approach to raise youth awareness to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). It is developed in the context of a large-scale European project (http://www.arkofinquiry.eu) and provides young European citizens (7–18-year-olds) …

In 2007, the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations initiated the program 'Veilige Publieke Taak'. It was designed to provide employers with guidelines and solutions for handling aggression and violence towards employees with a public task. One of the most important initiatives of this …

Initiatives in the field of local renewable energy appear to be very successful in several countries. Because of their activities, the share of renewable energy and the involvement of citizens and civil society organizations in energy transition have increased. Examples form Denmark are well known, but …

Democratic deficit, mistrust and decreasing interest in European politics has forced European Union institutions to take action to bring Europe back to its citizens. The aim of this paper is to outline the impact of the European Union Youth policies on European integration. This will be accomplished …

The paper is centered on the issue of sustainable development and how cities approach in their urban planning the need to diminish the environmental impact of their economic activities and at the same time create quality of life for their citizens. The focus is specifically on linking economic growth …

Background As the level of government closest to citizens and the real economy, local and regional authorities have an important role in tackling the severe impact of the current economic crisis. The double pressures of decreasing public revenue and increasing demand for services, however, call for more …

What options are open for people—citizens, politicians, and other nonscientists—to become actively involved in and anticipate new directions in the life sciences? In addressing this question, this article focuses on the start of the Human Genome Project (1985-1990). By contrasting various models of democracy …