Civil society as a social sphere is constantly subjected to change. Using the Dutch context, this article addresses the question whether religiously inspired engagement is a binder or a breakpoint in modern societies. The author examines how religiously inspired people in the Netherlands involve themselves in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and voluntary activities. Religious involvement and social engagement in different European countries are compared and discussed. In addition, the author explores the models of civil society and applies these to both the Christian and Islamic civil society in the Netherlands. Using four religious ‘identity organizations’ as case studies, this article discusses the interaction of Christian and Islamic civil society related to secularized Dutch society. The character and intentions of religiously inspired organizations and the relationship between religious and secular involvement are examined. This study also focuses on the attitude of policymakers towards religiously inspired engagement and government policy on ‘identity organizations’ in the Netherlands.
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Onderzoeksplatform ‘Connected Learning: ’Al ruim vijftien jaar houdt De Haagse Hogeschool zich bezig met onderzoek als deel van haar missie. Terwijl onderwijs vaak geworteld is in monodisciplinaire vakgebieden, kan met onderzoek wat makkelijker gekeken worden naar domeinen in de samenleving (zorg, veiligheid, ondernemen, etc.) waarin complexe problematiek steeds vaker wél dan niet een multidisciplinaire aanpak vereist. Bijna niemand werkt nog alleen of met alleen vakgenoten aan problemen of uitdagingen. En die veranderende beroepspraktijk is bij uitstek het domein van het hoger beroepsonderwijs. Daar leiden we voor op. Het onderzoeken van en experimenteren met nieuwe uitdagingen in de praktijk verbindt ons sterker met de samenleving, het stelt ons in staat om ons beroepsonderwijs te vernieuwen en geeft docenten, onderzoekers en studenten de kans om zich te ontwikkelen door samen te werken aan vragen en uitdagingen die de toekomst van de beroepspraktijk vorm geven. Veel onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd onder begeleiding van lectoren die samenwerken met docent-onderzoekers, studenten, en professionals in het werkveld aan veelal meerjarige onderzoeksagenda’s die lijn aanbrengen in verschillende deelactiviteiten. Een van de manieren waarop De Haagse Hogeschool onderzoek organiseert is in de vorm van onderzoeksplatforms die zich richten op verschillende domeinen van de samenleving. Wij zijn ‘Connected Learning’, een onderzoeksplatform dat zich richt op leren in de netwerksamenleving - in de samenleving zelf, maar ook in de beroepspraktijk en in ons onderwijs. Aangenaam. Wat wij doen? Daar gaat dit boek over, dus daar verklappen we hier nog niets over. Wat verwacht u als u nadenkt over onze naam? Enig idee? Geen idee? Benieuwd? Lees verder om te ontdekken wat ons inspireert, uitdaagt en nieuwsgierig maakt. Sommige van onze ideeën zijn doordacht en doorleefd omdat we er al jaren onderzoek naar doen, andere zijn nieuw en dagen ons uit om er grip op te krijgen. Wij geven met dit boek een beeld van waar we staan in 2018. Zie het als een eerste kennismaking, met de nadruk op ‘eerste’: we werken graag met veel en verschillende partners. Zie het als visitekaartje van onze onderzoeksagenda. We hopen van harte dat u zich als lezer uitgenodigd voelt om met ons samen op zoek te gaan—misschien wel naar een gezamenlijke toekomst. ‘Connected Learning’ Research Platform: For over fifteen years, The Hague University of Applied Sciences has been carrying out research as part of its mission. While education is often rooted in monodisciplinary subject areas, research allows for a broader look at areas of society (care, security, entrepreneurship etc.), where complex problems more often than not require a multidisciplinary approach. Today, barely anyone works on problems or challenges alone or solely with colleagues from within the same subject area. Universities of applied sciences are uniquely placed to deal with these changes in professional practices; after all, we train the professionals who will one day enter that field. Researching and experimenting with new challenges in professional practice allows us to connect more strongly with society, enables us to be innovative in our professional training and gives lecturers, researchers and students the opportunity to develop themselves by cooperating on the challenges and issues that will shape the future of that professional practice. Most research is carried out under the guidance of professors who cooperate with lecturers/researchers, students and the professional field, mainly on long-term research agendas that provide an outline for various sub-activities. One of the ways in which research is organised at The Hague University of Applied Sciences is in the form of research platforms that focus on various areas of society. We are ‘Connected Learning’, a research platform focusing on learning in the network society — in that society as such, but also in professional practice and our education. Nice to meet you! So, what do we do? That’s what this book is about, so we’re not going to give anything away just yet. Just thinking about our name, what do you expect we do? Any ideas? Or not a clue at all? If you’d like to find out, keep reading to find out what inspires us, what challenges we face and what drives our curiosity. Some of our ideas are well-established because we’ve been researching them for years, while other, newer ideas are more challenging to grasp. This book provides an overview of where we stand in 2018. You could see it as an initial introduction, with the emphasis on “initial”; we work with many different partners, and we enjoy doing so. Alternatively, you could see it as a calling card for our research agenda. We sincerely hope that, as a reader, you feel encouraged to join us in our quest — possibly towards a joint future.
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The climate crisis is an urgent and complex global challenge, requiring transformative action from diverse stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and grassroots movements. Conventional top-down approaches to climate governance have proven insufficient (e.g. UNFCCC, COP events), necessitating a shift towards more inclusive and polycentric models that incorporate the perspectives and needs of diverse communities (Bliznetskaya, 2023; Dorsch & Flachsland, 2017). The independent, multidisciplinary approach of citizen-led activist groups can provide new insights and redefine challenges and opportunities for climate governance and regulation. Despite their important role in developing effective climate action, these citizen-led groups often face significant barriers to decision-making participation, including structural, practical, and legal challenges (Berry et al., 2019; Colli, 2021; Marquardt et al., 2022; Tayler & Schulte, 2019).
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