New publication: "Rethinking Conceptualizations of Civil Societies in and beyond Post-Socialist Contexts"

This paper offers a fresh look at how researchers have written about civil society in Central and Eastern Europe since the fall of state socialism. Drawing on more than three decades of scholarship, the authors show how the field has moved from early Western-centered assessments—often judging the region as “weak” or “lacking”—toward more nuanced and grounded understandings of what civic engagement actually looks like on the ground.

The review identifies three main ways scholars have approached the topic: Western‑centric research, which measured civil society against Western norms;critical research, which questioned these assumptions and highlighted everyday forms of activism; anda growing triple‑embedded approach, in which researchers work closely with activists and communities to co‑produce knowledge.

By comparing these perspectives, the paper reveals how ideas about civil society are shaped not only by theory but also by researchers’ methods, positionalities, and relationships to the people they study. It argues that the most promising developments today come from approaches rooted in collaboration, long-term engagement, and a commitment to epistemic justice. The framework presented in the paper encourages scholars everywhere to rethink who produces knowledge, how it is produced, and whose experiences count in shaping our understanding of civil society.

Polanska DV, Pixóvá M, Bródy L. (2026). Rethinking Conceptualizations of Civil Societies in and beyond Post-Socialist Contexts. Voluntas: International Journals of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. Published online 2026:1-8. doi:10.1017/S0957876526000070.