Based on decades of research, this book explores global social change processes through the concepts of social change organisations (SCOs) and social change makers (SCMs) – the individuals working within and alongside SCOs. The book delves into a vast array of compelling social justice issues, from tackling inequality to championing human rights, bridging the realms of social movement and third sector research. Inspiring and empowering, this is essential reading for scholars, students, NGOs, and activists alike.

While the success and failure of development cooperation and humanitarian aid have found extensive coverage in the academic literature and the public debate, studies that address the experience of aid workers are still rare. This book explores the life worlds of people working in aid and analyses the processes that lead to the involvement in development cooperation, emergency relief and human rights work and what impact aid work has on the life-courses of aid workers, including their relationships with friends, family and partners.

In order to capture the trajectories which lead to "Aidland" a biographical perspective is employed. Rich reflexive data allows the author to theorize about the often contradictory experiences of those involved in development cooperation, emergency relief and human rights work. A life-course perspective on the involvement in "Aidland" reveals that boundary crossing between development cooperation, emergency relief and human rights is not unusual and that considering these fields as separate spheres might overlook important connections. The book addresses power relations not just between aid recipients and donors but also among aid personnel.

This book constitutes an important supplement to existing studies that predominantly focus on the contradictions and dilemmas of aid, but neglect the experiences of aid workers themselves. It contributes to the emerging sociology and anthropology of aid workers and is of great interest to professionals and researchers in Humanitarian and development studies, sociology, anthropology, political science and international relations, international social work and social psychology.

This book explores what attracts people to aidwork and to what extent the promises of aidwork are fulfilled. 'Aidland' is a highly complex and heterogeneous context which includes many different occupations, forms of employment and organizations. Analysing the processes that lead to the involvement in development cooperation, emergency relief and human rights work and tracing the pathways into and through Aidland, the book addresses working and living conditions in Aidland, gender relations and inequality among aid personnel and what impact aidwork has on the life-courses of aidworkers. In order to capture the trajectories that lead to Aidland a biographical perspective is employed which reveals that boundary crossing between development cooperation, emergency relief and human rights is not unusual and that considering these fields as separate spheres might overlook important connections. Rich reflexive data is used to theorize about the often contradictory experiences of people working in aid whose careers are shaped by geo-politics, changing priorities of donors and a changing composition of the aid sector. Exploring the life worlds of people working in aid, this book contributes to the emerging sociology and anthropology of aidwork and will be of interest to professionals and researchers in humanitarian and development studies, sociology, anthropology, political science and international relations, international social work and social psychology.

In May 2004, after bringing their legislation into accordance with EU regulations, ten more countries joined the European Union. The contributors to this volume assess the impact of this historical development on gender relations in the new and old EU member states. Instead of focusing on either western or eastern Europe, this book investigates the similarities and differences in diverse parts of Europe. Although initially limited, gender equality was part of the original framework of the European Union, an organization often more open than national governments to feminist demands, as this volume illustrates with case studies from eastern and western Europe. The enlargement process thus provides some important policy instruments for increasing equality between men and women.

In May 2004, after bringing their legislation into accordance with EU regulations, ten more countries joined the European Union. The contributors to this volume assess the impact of this historical development on gender relations in the new and old EU member states. Instead of focusing on either western or eastern Europe, this book investigates the similarities and differences in diverse parts of Europe. Although initially limited, gender equality was part of the original framework of the European Union, an organization often more open than national governments to feminist demands, as this volume illustrates with case studies from eastern and western Europe. The enlargement process thus provides some important policy instruments for increasing equality between men and women.

Das Buch bietet eine komparativ angelegte Bestandsaufnahme zu Frauenbewegungen in Europa (EU-Lander, Beitrittslander, nicht zur EU gehorende Lander) und deren Erwartungen und Befurchtungen mit Blick auf die EU.Im Buch wird der Frage nachgegangen, welche Erwartungen europaische Frauenbewegungen an die EU haben, sowohl in den Mitgliedslandern, Beitrittslandern und solchen Landern, die vorlaufig nicht der EU beitreten werden. In den drei einleitenden theoretischen Beitragen geht es um die Geschichtsschreibung von frauenpolitischem Engagement, zweitens um die Veranderungen von Burgerrechten im Kontext der EU und drittens um die EU als Gelegenheitsstruktur im Hinblick auf die Durchsetzung von Gendermainstreaming. Im Hauptteil geht es um eine vergleichende Bestandsaufnahme von Frauenbewegungen in Europa. Ausgehend von nationalen und historischen Traditionen von Frauenbewegungen der jeweiligen Lander wird der Bogen zu bisherigen Erfahrungen, Erwartungen und Befurchtungen an die EU aus Frauensicht gezogen."

Nicht-Regierungsorganisationen (NGOs) spielen sowohl in der internationalen Krisenpravention als auch in der Forderung demokratischer Nachkriegsgesellschaften und Entwicklungszusammenarbeit eine wichtige Rolle. In diesem Buch werden u. a. folgende Fragen behandelt: Wie gestaltet sich das Verhaltnis von Entwicklungszusammenarbeit und Friedenssicherung in der Praxis? Welche Rolle spielen Hilfsorganisationen in Konflikt- und Postkonfliktsituationen? Und wie wirken sich Terrorismus, Sicherheitspolitik und insbesondere der von den USA proklamierte internationale Kampf gegen den Terrorismus auf die Arbeitsbedingungen von NGOs in Krisen- und Konfliktgebieten aus? Dieser Band richtet sich sowohl an die Praktikerinnen und Praktiker, die in zahlreichen NGOs im Spannungsfeld von Krisenpravention und Sicherheitspolitik arbeiten, als auch an den universitaren Raum.

Activists often participate in more than one social movement and organization. Bridging organizations are formed by activists who feel that the movements in which they are participating do not adequately address the various issues they are involved in. The author provides a case study of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), an organization which was founded in 1974. Using the CLUW as a model, the author demonstrates how one organization can address the needs of diverse social movements, in this case the women's movement and the labor movement. By tracing the formation and development of the CLUW, the author illustrates and elaborates on her theories concerning social movements and bridging organizations. She uses historical documents, first hand accounts, and a case study approach to analyze the interrelatedness of oppression, opposition, social change, movement change, and personal change associated with social movements and bridging organizations. Detailing the obstacles the CLUW faces, the author makes clear how important such organizations are as well as how difficult it can be to negotiate the collective identity of its members and reconcile the needs of various social groups represented therein.