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Associationalism and Co-production: A Comparison of Two Ideals for Participatory Democracy

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Voluntary and Public Sector Collaboration in Scandinavia

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Third Sector Research ((PSTSR))

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Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to compare two forms of collaboration between the public and the voluntary sector in Denmark: Associationalism and Co-production. The analysis shows significant differences: While consensus is the ideal in Co-production, pluralism is the ideal in Associationalism. In Co-production, the ideal administrative regime is New Public Governance; in Associationalism, the ideal is Communitarian Governance. In Co-production, the public sector seeks collaboration with citizens, volunteers and associations, while association is the principle collaboration partner in Associationalism. Co-production is an integrated collaboration, while there is a clear division of roles in Associationalism. The vision of Co-production as well as Associationalism is that it’s conducive to democracy, but in practice it has less significance in Co-production than in Associationalism, although many associations also have a democratic deficit.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The voluntary, non-profit sector is defined by the following common characteristics of the different types of organisations and institutions: The entity has a legal status and an organisational permanency; it is both non-governmental and non-profit; it is self-governing and organised according to democratic principles; and participation is free and non-compulsory (Ibsen & Habermann, 2005; Kaspersen & Ottesen, 2007). Volunteer work is often included as a central characteristic of the voluntary sector, but volunteering also takes place in non-profit institutions, public institutions and more informally, independent of organisations.

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  1. University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Bjarne Ibsen

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    Bjarne Ibsen

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Ibsen, B. (2021). Associationalism and Co-production: A Comparison of Two Ideals for Participatory Democracy. In: Ibsen, B. (eds) Voluntary and Public Sector Collaboration in Scandinavia . Palgrave Studies in Third Sector Research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72315-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72315-6_7

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