Third Sector Organizations Facing Turbulent Environments: Sports, Culture and Social Services in Five European Countries

The anthology addresses the topic of change. How do third sector organizations (TSOs) cope with turbulent environments? How they manage to adapt to the restructuring of welfare states and the expansion of markets is investigated in five European countries focusing on the policy fields of sports, culture and social services. Despite significant differences across countries and policy fields, the volume sheds light on a strong trend towards polarization within the third sector. There is indeed a blossoming of grassroots organizations strengthening local cohesion, but these organizations lack any lobbying power. At the same time, powerful not-for-profit organizations, heavily engaged in service provision, have emerged that work on par with commercial and public institutions. These business-like organizations, however, are detached from any membership base, no longer providing avenues for societal integration.