'Stronger together!'

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the various forms, areas and functions of civic engagement, illustrating these with an empirical case study from rural areas of the Saarland. The challenges posed by social and demographic change, interconnected globalisation and crisis-like conditions - both on a small scale within village communities and on a larger scale across society as a whole - are constantly increasing. New approaches and creative solutions are needed. The author calls for a new awareness of living together and supporting one another in practice, in order to ensure decent living conditions and a good quality of life in many places. This new 'civic and social culture' of mutual aid and shared responsibility can be promoted and strengthened in particular through voluntary engagement.