Summing-Up CINEFOGO Network of Excellence

In the ongoing debate about the relationship between civil society institutions and the welfare state, CINEFOGO, in particular, develops an input to the making of European citizenship. This is done in two ways

• By coordination and integration of the scientific work done by the network and its members concerning civic participation, governance and social protection.
• By initiating debates among European scholars, politicians and in the general public. The aim is to intensify the impact of social sciences and to provide public opinion and policy-makers with points of reference for the debate civic participation, governance and social protection.

CINEFOGO Network is focusing on the importance of improving citizens’ participation in governance. This requires new knowledge on the importance of social and cultural diversity, active citizenship, civic participation and organised civil society - issues that have become more pressing with the on-going enlargement of Europe. A Europe characterised by growing inequality in economic and social conditions of the citizens but also increased diversity in the perception of what is meant to be the European House and in how to proceed in the process of economic, social and political integration of the European nation-states.

In the research and dissemination activities of the CINEFOGO network we want to take advantage of the strategy papers coming from the European Commission such as Shaping the New Europe, the White Paper on Governance and communication strategy Action Plan for Improve Communicating Europe, the so-called ‘Plan D’ for democracy, dialogue and debate in Europe. Issues, which have been even more important after the rejection of the EU Constitution in France and the Netherlands in 2005.

Objectives, perspectives and themes

The overall objective is to provide knowledge about the relationship between civil society and citizenship in an increasingly diversified and multi-cultural Europe that is simultaneously trying to achieve greater integration.

The intellectual background of CINEFOGO can be expressed by three theoretical perspectives forming an integrating platform for research which addresses thee thematic areas.

The Network

41 institutions involving more than 180 researchers and PhD students in Europe are part of the Network that is co-ordinated by the University of Roskilde, Department of Society and Globalisation (Denmark). The work is distributed among 50 Work Packages (WPs). The CINEFOGO Network of Excellence is supported by the Sixth Framework Programme, Priority 7: New Forms of Citizenship and Cultural Identities of the European Union.

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