The author gives a short overview of this year\u2019s annual conference of the International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR)\u00a0held on 5-8 July in Dublin, Ireland, on the topic \u201cThird Sector: for Whom and for What?\u201d<\/p>\n
The proportion of the third sector, or, non-governmental and non-profit activity, increases constantly in the society. The number of organisations based on civic initiative, as well as their membership, is growing, cooperation network of associations is becoming closer, and also cooperation with the public sector and the economic community is catching up. Together with the expanding third sector, its problems become also more complex. This creates a need to share and compare experiences of different cultural, political and social backgrounds \u2013 and a conference with such a wide international scope provides an excellent opportunity for this. Approximately 600 people participated in the conference. The speakers emphasised constantly that as compared to earlier conferences this time the focus of theories and discussions has shifted from the provision of social services and the problems of so-called profiting vs non-profiting more to the area of political culture. In the terminology of presentations it was reflected, for example, in the preferred use of the notion \u201ccivil society\u201d to \u201cnon-profit\u201d or \u201cthird sector\u201d. Interesting discussions took place, for example, on topics like the role of politics in civil society and the role of civil society in shaping local and international policy<\/em>, but also therelationship of the state and civil society, different experiences in their regulation and possible forms of cooperation<\/em>. Several presentations dealt within different fields with the role of civic awareness and knowledge in developing activities based on civic initiative.<\/p>\n