“Pan-European Non-Governmental Organizations: European Union Sponsored Mobilization and Activism for Social Rights”

Cullen, Pauline P. (1999) “Pan-European Non-Governmental Organizations: European Union Sponsored Mobilization and Activism for Social Rights”. In: UNSPECIFIED, Pittsburgh, PA. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

European debates on the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) increasingly recognize the growing importance of the third sector not merely in a service provision, but also in the creation of employment and the empowerment of marginalized social groups. European Union (EU) policy discussion often stresses the need to foster citizen involvement through greater consultation with transnational NGOs. As a consequence, social welfare NGOs have reoriented their domestic and international strategies in strengthening EU-side umbrella organizations and establishing lobbying offices in Brussels. Drawing from research in the areas of social movements (Marks and McAdam 1996; Tarrow 1997), voluntary organizations (Young 1992; Salamon and Aneheier 1996) and EU governance and interests (Mazey and Richardson 1993; Richardson 1996; Wallace and Young 1997; Greenwood and Aspinwall 1998), this paper contributes to an understanding of how transnational NGO coalitions are mobilizing in unlikely partnerships, and how intergovernmental forums such as the EU are becoming the focus for the financial support, legal consolidation and political activism of the European NGO sector.

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