Tandems of lay experts and academic experts: How new civil societal collaboration models enhance societal transformation

Abstract

Late Munich sociologist Ulrich Beck (1944-2015) engaged in numerous public debates, among others on civil society. He considered it a "reform idea", a tool of democratization, even of "creative disobedience". Like many other academicians, he encountered difficulties though to properly define the term. At one point he compared civil society to a "pudding nailed to the wall". This distinctive image expressed his and others uneasiness with the inflationary usage of civil society and a sense of vagueness. This perception has not changed very much in recent years, especially in the general public. Therefore, more enlightenment, best practice and hands-on examples as well as in-depth perspectives on civil society and its modes of operation seem to be the command of the hour. This shall be undertaken and presented in this dossier within the field of self-organization, self-help and peer counseling, along the lines and frontiers of voluntary and professional engagement. One of the focuses is anxiety self-help and how it has evolved in a tandem partnership of lay experts and academic experts to a resourceful and valuable player in the realm of civil society. In view of the current corona uncertainties regarding our future in health-related aspects and, in general, post-corona societal modeling this type of twinning may become a shaping force and help civil society to win much more visibility and profile.