'Self-Organization' of welfare-services in deprived and wealthier urban neighborhoods in the Dutch Participation Society

This dissertation investigates the Dutch policy turn towards more volunteering in neighborhood-based welfare services, and its effects on poorer and wealthier urban neighbourhoods. Over the last two decades, various Western European governments have become more attentive and supportive to citizens’ voluntary organisations in the fields of social cohesion, care and emancipation in the neighbourhood. In the UK, the so-called ‘Big Society’ policy frame has become very influential. Inspired by this example, the Dutch national government has expressed that the Dutch welfare state is to transform in... Mehr ...