The Future Role of Civil Society

The Future Role of Civil Society project was launched in 2012 with the goal to explore and understand the evolving environment in which civil society actors operate. The report also interprets how the evolving environment might appear in 2030 and how can society – at every level – possibly come to engage in these new contexts.

The report finds that definitions, roles, and the context for civil society are evolving in provoking and dynamic ways. These changes suggest that civil society should no longer be seen as a ‘third sector’, but as a viable actor that can bind public and private activities together.

Beginning with an overview of what civil society today, the report continues with a look at trends, concerns, and possible scenarios for the future.