Assessment of the Social Relevance of Civil Society Organizations and Its Future Consequences
Abstract
The social acceptance and long-term sustainability of civil society organizations depend to a large extent on how young adults perceive their role, legitimacy, and societal importance. The aim of this study is to examine university students’ attitudes toward civil society organizations, with particular attention to perceived social rel evance, legitimacy, participation, future orientation, and the relationship between the state and the civil sector. The theoretical framework draws on the literature on civil society, legitimacy, civic participation, and the welfare mix approach. The empirical analysis is based on a questionnaire survey conducted among 347 university students. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric comparative analyses, linear regression models, and qualitative content analysis were employed. The study examined five attitudinal dimensions: legitimacy, social relevance, participation, future orientation, and perceptions of state-civil society relations. The results indicate that respondents assess the social relevance of civil society organizations highly and generally express positive attitudes toward their legitimacy and future role. At the same time, the level of actual participation is considerably lower, suggesting that positive attitudes do not necessarily translate into active civic engagement. Overall, demographic factors exhibited limited explanatory power. Gender showed a significant association with perceptions of legitimacy and social relevance, while field of study was primarily related to the participation dimension. Age, mode of study, and type of residence did not emerge as significant determi nants. The qualitative analysis of open-ended responses confirmed the generally positive perception of civil society organizations, while also highlighting concerns related to trust, transparency, and participation. One of the most important findings of the study is the existence of a gap between the social acceptance of civil society organizations and actual participation in their activities. The results suggest that the key challenge for the future development of the civil sector is not primarily to increase social support, but rather to transform already existing positive attitudes into active forms of civic and community engagement.
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