Researching and exploring citizen initiatives: RUU ExpertiseConference

Civil society, new citizen initiatives and civil leadership

The focus and awareness in academic reasearch is growing for the Public Space themes like civil society, new citizen initiatives and civil leadership.

Steven de Waal was invited to participate in the first conference of the University Utrecht expertisecentre on ‘Future of Citizen-based Initiatives‘ on the 1st of June 2018.  It was a very welcome and relevant start of bundling of current expertise and an impuls and direction to future research and education.

“Contributing to a strong and vibrant civil society”

The conference fitted in the broader RUU focus on institutions for open societies, but this is one of the key elements in exploring that field. Steven was happy to attend: the theme fits his ThinkTank Public Space on ‘promoting social entrepreneurship and active citizenship‘ and it certainly follows much of the research he has done for his dissertation (promotion in 2014) on ‘The Value(s) of Civil Leaders‘. In a lot of the citizen-based initiatives that are researched you will find civil leadership as a necessary start and element in activating and realizing the citizen-initiative.

Steven de Waal likes to change thoughts with academics who share his interest in a strong and vibrant civil society.