Civil Society and Social Innovations
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Course code
RIJ7028.YK
old course code
Course title in Estonian
Kodanikuühiskond ja ühiskondlikud innovatsioonid
Course title in English
Civil Society and Social Innovations
ECTS credits
6.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Course aims
The aim of the course is to discover ways in which the civil society enables to tackle issues in contemporary societies. The course introduces the main functions, actors and dynamics of the civil society both in theory and in practice. Altogether it will lay a foundation for understanding how the civil society operates and relates to government and the markets, what are the behavioural logics of a democratic and open society, and encourages a critical debate over how and to what extent can the ideals of civil society be implemented in practice.
Brief description of the course
Introduction to the concept and intellectual history of civil society. Main functions of civil society. How civil societies emerge and evolve: the institutional, behavioural and socio-cultural determinants. The forms and actors of the civil society: from stamp collectors to global social movements. Civil society and the governments: different role relationships in the national and transnational governance models. Civil society in the markets: from a corporate responsibility valve to social entrepreneurship. The dynamics within civil society organisations. Reaching out: civil society organisations engaging with broader publics in the information age.
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- is familiar with the concepts associated with the civil society and knows how to use them correctly;
- is aware of theories that describe the possible functions, developments and intersectorial relations of the civil society and can apply them in empirical analysis;
- knows how civil society organisations operate and achieve an impact, and can outline a practical strategy for a civil society organisation.
Teacher
Katri-Liis Lepik
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