VIDAČAK I. - Organized Civil Society, Advocacy and Lobbying in Southeastern Europe (20h)
An active and vibrant civil society, along with effective interest representation in policymaking, is essential for the sustainability of EU accession-driven reforms in candidate countries. As Southeastern Europe (SEE) progresses on its path toward EU integration, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other interest groups face new incentives and challenges in their influence-seeking behaviours.
This course will assess the transformative impact of EU policies on civil society development, policy advocacy, and lobbying in candidate countries within the SEE region. Students will critically examine the role of CSOs and interest groups in shaping policy at local, national, and EU levels. Through a combination of theoretical insights and hands-on practice, the course equips students with practical skills to design and implement lobbying strategies that reflect the complexities of multi-level governance in an EU accession context.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Critically analyse the factors driving the mobilisation, policy engagement, and influence-seeking behaviour of CSOs and other interest groups in SEE.
- Analyse the evolution of organised civil society in SEE, with a focus on key milestones and transformations driven by EU accession
- Evaluate key theories on societal transformation and the interaction between CSOs, interest groups, and policymakers at local, national, and EU levels.
- Design and implement strategic lobbying and advocacy plans, applying diverse lobbying techniques to real-world cases.
- Produce policy submissions based on an in-depth analysis of an EU policy problem relevant to the transformation of candidate countries.
Professor Igor VIDACAK