This book presents and discusses the law of third sector organizations in a selected number of European Union countries and in a comparative perspective, with the aim of providing a common basis for further legal analyses or legislative advancements both at the national and supranational level. The book is divided into two parts. Chapters in Part I present the ways in which each national jurisdiction deals with the group of organizations identified by the authors as “third sector organizations”, regardless of the ways in which these organizations are denominated or are commonly known in each country or the place in which their regulation is found. Chapters in Part II share a synthesis and comparative approach and draw the lines for further developments of the research activity culminated in the book.

The nonprofit sector occupies an ever more central role in economic and social policies, from the redesign of welfare system in the U.S. or UK, to fostering democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, non-profit organizations face increased public scrutiny, and calls for more 'efficiency' and greater 'accountability'. Against this background, this revealing book explore keys policy issues such as: * Is the nonprofit sector in crisis? * What are the common themes and patterns in current policy debates concerning the future of the nonprofit sector? * What policy models are being discussed, and what are their implications? * How can nonprofit organiztions negotiate a course between commercialization and tighter government regulation? As this sector is confronted with often conflicting demands of new public management, tight budgeting, and greater competition, it arrives at a crucial crossroad in its development. Through the detailed investigations presented in this key book, postgraduate students of business and politics can fully explore this significant sector and analyze it's position in today's society.

"Serena Cosgrove effectively captures the dynamics of women's civil society organizing in this carefully written book. Her excellent and compelling ethnographic explorations are bound to inspire reflection, action, and committed scholarship."---Elisabeth Jay Friedman, University of San Francisco --

Recently the topic of civil society has generated a wave of interest, and a wealth of new information. Until now no publication has attempted to organize and consolidate this knowledge. The International Encyclopedia of Civil Society fills this gap, establishing a common set of understandings and terminology, and an analytical starting point for future research. Global in scope and authoritative in content, the Encyclopedia offers succinct summaries of core concepts and theories; definitions of terms; biographical entries on important figures and organizational profiles. In addition, it serves as a reliable and up-to-date guide to additional sources of information. In sum, the Encyclopedia provides an overview of the contours of civil society, social capital, philanthropy and nonprofits across cultures and historical periods. For researchers in nonprofit and civil society studies, political science, economics, management and social enterprise, this is the most systematic appraisal of a rapidly growing field.