The Third Sector Study Group has become the “Public Governance of Societal Sectors” Study Group

The EGPA Third Sector Study Group has existed for six years and has consistently drawn around 20-25 papers each year. The group has been successful in terms of publications, releasing a theme issues of the International Journal of Public Administration and the Public Management Review, as well as two edited volumes with Routledge. Nonetheless, we have chosen to continue under a different name. 

Since its start, the group has been well-positioned within the research community and has generally attracted more demand than it could address. Yet over time, it has been found that the ‘third sector’ label is unduly restrictive, by failing to address authors who do not identify with the third sector in a strict sense, but who do have similar thematic interests. Specific third sector research networks (e.g. ISTR, Arnova) use a similar label, but have tended to move away from public administration issues. The ‘third sector’ remains a relevant object of study, but the label sends the wrong signal. Therefore we believed the group would benefit from a name change and a renewed emphasis on public administration issues. These will position the group’s activities more clearly within EGPA and address new audiences while retaining the strengths of the Third Sector Study Group.

We will continue under its new “Public Governance” name at the 2010 EGPA conference in Toulouse. Please watch the EGPA website for further news.

The papers presented at the Third Sector Study Group meetings will remain available through our paper archive.