Contemporary social theories claim that modern, western societies are in transition from a hierarchical regulation to a more horizontal structure of governance. The network society is a commonly used metaphor for the process in which top-down management’s normative powers and bureaucratic structures are being replaced by a ‘flat’ structure. The ‘partnership notion’ reflects new ways of organising public and private activities, which could be characterised as the transition from a vertical to a horizontal coordination model.

This theory is supported by studies which identify a tendency towards a network-based structuring of activities in organisations and in society at large. Some scholars believe this is the most efficient way of organising activities due to the networks’ flexibility and because new communications technology makes it possible to transcend the limitations of traditional social networks. The flexibility and interactivity of new communications technologies also impact on the level of citizen engagement in politics and in civic organisations.

The emergence of a network society can potentially affect civic and voluntary organisations in several ways. Firstly, new channels for mobilising and coordinating voluntary work could facilitate new ways of volunteering. Voluntary agencies will also be able to organise both their own operations and collective campaigns in several new ways. Secondly, organisations will also be affected by the increasing importance of a general network-based approach to coordinating activities. Thirdly, questions about whether a network structure is in line with the guiding principles of the organisational democracy characteristic for Norwegian voluntary agencies arise. Fourthly, a network-based coordination of activities will impact on the way in which voluntary organisations collaborate with other civic organisations and with government.

This project will focus on the key research areas ‘participation’ and ‘transitional processes’ and aims at empirically looking at the effects of the network society on voluntary agencies with regard to social participation, civic engagement and social communities, ways of organising activities and the organisations’ political and democratic roles.