Using Examples Explain How Different Forms of Volunteering and Participation Draw on and Build “Social Capital” in Civil Society (List Three to Four Examples).

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Using examples explain how different forms of volunteering and participation draw on and build “social capital” in civil society (list three to four examples). In this essay I will be looking at different examples of volunteering and participation amongst people. By looking at these different examples I am hoping to find out, how do they build social capital in civil society, and what is the result of this. First of all I would like to explain, what exactly does civil society mean? Civil society is a space of collective action where people join together to create a group or organisation. These can include groups such as clubs and societies and social networks. Charities are also a form of organisation that creates the civil society. These organisations are non-governmental and are not for profit organisation, some are formal and others are more in-formal. Being part of a protest against local schools closure for example also creates a civil society. Many of these groups are at local level and have been created by communities coming together and drawing on their own social networks. In 1987, Margaret Thatcher claimed that there was “no such thing as society” but many social scientists disagree, and believe that there are different parts to society; this is called the civil sphere. Many believe that there are three parts to society witch are the market, the government and the civil society. There can be blurring and crossover between these three spheres for example if a private company partnerships with a voluntary organization to create some sort of public service. “The sphere relies on solidarity, on feelings for others whom we do not know but whom we respect out of principle…” Alexander, J. C. (2006) the Civil Sphere, Oxford: Oxford University Press. This means that societies do not rely on power alone and that feelings for others matter. If feeling for others

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