Roberto Scaramuzzino

Civil Society Organizations Going European?: The Europeanization of Swedish CSOs

This study explores factors that influence Swedish civil society organizations’ (CSOs) degree of activity at different geographical and administrative levels and, in particular, how they are affected by processes of Europeanization in the social welfare policy area. The present study is based on a national survey and includes approximately 1,600 Swedish CSOs. Despite the often claimed mismatch between the Swedish welfare model and European Union (EU) level social policy measures, EU membership has opened a new level of opportunities for activities for Swedish CSOs. The results show that Swedish CSOs are mostly active at the local level and very seldom at the European level. The strongest factor contributing to Swedish CSOs’ degree of activity at the European level is the perceived relevance of this level. Furthermore, resources have a great impact. CSOs that can claim strong representativeness and that have access to employed staff are more likely to be Europeanized.

Italian and Nordic social workers’ assessments of families with children at risk

The question of how social workers view child welfare problems and what are seen as appropriate interventions has been subject of debate and research the last decades. The aim of the study is to investigate how different child welfare models influence social workers’ assessment of cases involving children at risk. This is done by identifying differences and similarities between Nordic and Italian social workers’ assessments regarding the levels of intervention, their line of reasoning and the types of intervention proposed. A recent comparative study of social workers’ assessment in four Nordic countries reveals a tendency to apply a common model in social work with children and families. The data for this study, collected through a qualitative vignette study involving 18 Italian social workers, are compared with the results of the Nordic study. The analysis displays certain differences between Italian and Nordic social workers’ assessments, in particular with adolescents, but also indicates similar approaches with babies and children. The similarities in the assessment of Nordic and Italian social workers, especially in the line of reasoning, indicate a common professional base of values and knowledge among social workers working with families. The study also shows that child welfare models, as institutional factors, actually influence social workers’ assessment of cases involving children at risk, when it comes to level of intervention and intervention proposed. Such influence seems to be mediated by meso-level organisational factors related to how social work with children at risk is organised.

The weapon of a new generation?—Swedish Civil Society Organizations’ use of social media to influence politics

ABSTRACT The article examines the extent of and factors behind Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs’) use of social media to influence politics compared with nondigital political strategies, that is, using the traditional media and demonstrations. Taking stock of previous research on information and communication technologies, social media, and political influence, the relevance of four sets of factors is tested: resources, resource dependency, geographic level of activity, and age of the organization. Based on survey data on 907 Swedish CSOs, the results show that social media is used alongside other strategies with no trade-off between them. Furthermore, the use of social media is highly resource-demanding both in terms of membership base and staff employed. Although it is not affected by public resource dependency, it is useful when trying to influence both the local and national level. Younger generations of CSOs are also more likely to make use of social media. The results suggest that the rise of the Internet as a channel for political communication might strengthen an elite of organizations that already has access to other channels for influencing policy. Digital politics might, however, also help bring forth new actors and perhaps new voices in the political debate, as long as they are able to mobilize enough resources.

Sex Workers' Rights Movement And The EU: Challenging The European Prostitution Policy Model

This chapter analyses relationships and interactions between civil society organisations (CSOs) active at the European Union (EU) level in the prostitution policy area. This policy area is characterised by strong polarisations and opposite frames, such as regarding prostitution as work, sex or violence, for example, and how this relates to issues of gender equality. Exploring current debates on fields and a relational approach to interactions between CSOs, we analyse the EU prostitution policy area as a field populated by incumbents and challengers engaged in contentious actions and reactions, so-called episodes of contention. In particular, we aim at eliciting what it takes for an organisation with an ‘outsider’ position to enter into the EU field and make its voice heard and recognised among actors that have different views on issues of prostitution and sex work regulation. More specifically, we analyse the strategic actions of the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) and how its actions have been met by established actors such as the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), clearly propagating against prostitution and sex workers’ rights. Three research questions will guide the analysis: First, which episodes of contention has the ICRSE been involved in? Second, which position does the ICRSE have in the EU-level prostitution policy field in relation to other actors?