Research and networking to counter shrinking scope for action
The scope for action available to civil society and the space for civic engagement and participation in general have been changing dramatically over the past few years. The social sphere between the state, the economy and private family life – in which citizens engage in voluntary, collective actions and non-profit organisations – is under threat and shrinking in many places (see ‘Shrinking Civic Space’, ‘Contested Civic Space’). These attacks originate from various state and non-state actors and range from restrictions on rights and bureaucratic interference to physical and psychological violence against activists.
Attacks on and restrictions imposed on civil society are on the rise, not only in authoritarian countries but also in Germany. As recently as 2023, Germany was downgraded in the CIVICUS Monitor, a global comparative index of civic rights. According to the report, the space for civil society in Germany is no longer ‘open’ but ‘restricted’. The report ‘People Power Under Attack 2023’ states that the German government does not fully protect its citizens’ freedoms of expression, assembly and association.
Whilst in some areas the influence of citizens’ initiatives is greater today than ever before, civic action is highly controversial in other areas. Generally speaking, it can be assumed that governments are attempting to marginalise non-state actors from the public sphere. Other actors, such as businesses and the media, are also attempting to restrict the scope for civil society action. In doing so, they are in some cases violating fundamental human and civil rights.
Many of these restrictions are subtle, and the organisations affected often do not know how to respond to them. Furthermore, there is a lack of awareness and research into these phenomena. The Maecenata Institute is therefore dedicated not only to researching the shrinking civic space in Germany and Europe, but also to raising awareness and fostering collaboration amongst relevant stakeholders involved in this issue.
Projects
Through its wide-ranging activities, the Maecenata Institute aims to make a significant contribution to strengthening civil society and preserving civic space.
Ongoing projects
As part of the research project ‘Radical Times? The discursive struggle for civic space in climate protests’, the Institute, together with a research consortium, is examining the intensifying debate and controversy surrounding the legitimacy and legality of climate-focused protests. The study examines whether a so-called ‘shrinking civic space’ is developing in Germany as a result of political and economic factors in relation to climate protests. The findings were published in early 2025.
Through the European Shrinking Civic Space Platform developed by Maecenata, civil society organisations and activists affected by hate, oppression or legal uncertainty can find support and connect with one another. As well as offering the opportunity to seek help, the website also allows users to report incidents of abuse. In doing so, the Maecenata Institute aims to establish a monitoring system and bring particularly serious cases to public attention. Civil society organisations, in particular, have developed a wide range of support services and guidance resources – often free of charge – which those affected can turn to in an emergency. However, some government and commercial bodies have also addressed this issue and provide contact details and support services. This project brings them all together for the first time.
Completed projects
The multi-year research and networking project European Civic Space Observatory (2020–2023) has made a theoretical and empirical contribution to the academic debate on ‘shrinking space’ phenomena. ECSO developed a monitoring system sensitive enough to capture the boundaries of civic space in European democracies and provided theoretical explanatory frameworks to support this. Together with a wide range of European partners, this was discussed, applied and ultimately used to produce reports on the state of civic space in the respective countries. As part of this, the country report *Germany Report: On the Situation and Framework Conditions of Civil Society in Germany* was published in 2022.
In addition, various digital and in-person events were held and networking activities took place. At the ISTR conference in Montreal in July 2022, Siri Hummel and Rupert Graf Strachwitz were able to present the study’s findings and discuss them with an international audience of experts.