Contested Civic Spaces in Greece in the Context of Foreign Immigration and the Refugee Crisis of 2015

Abstract

This article takes a closer look at various developments in Greece with regard to the status of civil society (more specifically regarding certain NGOs and volunteer-run solidarity initiatives), a country that was challenged in the last decades by foreign immigration and especially by a serious refugee crisis in 2015. The latter had an immediate impact on NGO activities in the country, which became in many cases seriously questioned, contested or restricted. Greece’s case can be used as a testing ground for examining and understanding the complex intricacies between establishing viable civic structures and becoming aware of local sensitivities pertaining to security and other issues.

Keywords

• ngo sector
• civil society
• greece
• foreign immigration
• refugee crisis of 2015
• government-nonprofit relations