Virtual TRAWOS research colloquium

This time, our discussion will focus on the developments and functions of civic engagement against the backdrop of current processes of change in rural areas, particularly in Lusatia. In the face of economic, demographic and ecological challenges, civil society and voluntary work are increasingly being addressed and focused on. At the same time, for over thirty years, a shift in engagement towards forms that are less institutionalized, project-based, more informal, more fun and/or more topic-specific has been observed.
The TRAWOS Institute is currently conducting comparative research on engagement constellations in rural areas in collaboration with the Georg August University of Göttingen and the Thünen Institute for Regional Development.

Prof. Raj Kollmorgen (project leader), Dr. Thomas Prennig and Susanne Lerche provide an insight into the ongoing research project "Engagement constellations in rural areas - an East-West comparison". After a brief introduction to the development of volunteering, we would like to talk to you about the specific contextual factors and challenges for volunteers in Lusatia and where/how the "new" volunteering is actually taking place in the region.

Texts to get you in the mood:
On the specific initial situation in Lusatia's structural change: Gürter, Luh, Staemmler (2020) in apuz, online:
https://www.bpb.de/apuz/304334/strukturwandel-als-gelegenheit

On civil society in Lusatia: Staemmler, Gabler, Priemer (2020) in Lausitzblog (with reference to Ziviz-Survey 2017):
https://lausitzblog.info/?p=275

On the transformation of volunteering: Ross (2020) in Wegweiser Bürgergesellschaft:
https://www.buergergesellschaft.de/fileadmin/pdf/gastbeitrag_ross_200122.pdf