Voluntary action can generate deep loyalties, commitments and high hopes for what it can achieve among different stakeholders. However, the everyday realities of voluntary action are not well understood, allowing unrealistic ideals to influence how different actors understand the sector.
Challenging existing academic, policy and practice conceptions, this book develops a realistic and sophisticated understanding of how voluntary action works in practice. Drawing on case studies from a long-term study of voluntary and community activities in England, it outlines the development of voluntary action over time and presents a nuanced theoretical perspective on the complex and contested nature and dynamics of voluntary action.
By:
Rob Macmillan
Imprint: Policy Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781447331254
ISBN 10: 1447331257
Series: Third Sector Research
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 June 2023
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
General/trade
,
Undergraduate
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Part I: Introduction A changing landscape for voluntary action A relational account of voluntary action Part II: Voluntary action as a whole: cross-cutting fields of voluntary action Mission and strategy, governance and leadership Fortunes, finance and social investment Performance and impact Challenges and capabilities Part III: Voluntary action in parts: organisational fields of voluntary action Social welfare Advice services Family support Community regeneration Part IV: Conclusions and implications Making relational sense of voluntary action Implications and future directions Appendix: Data sources and methodology
Rob Macmillan is Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR), Sheffield Hallam University.
