NGOs in China and Europe : comparisons and contrasts / edited by Yuwen Li.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

International NGOs in China : current situation, impacts and response of the Chinese government / Han Junkui -- The development and institutional environment of non-governmental think tanks in China / Jia Xijn -- Development of charities in China since the reform and opening up / Liu Peifeng -- The development of women's NGOs in China / Shen Guoqin -- Public interest legal organizations in China : current situation and prospect for future development / Xie Haiding -- The voluntary sector and government : perspectives from the UK / Liz Atkins -- Creating an enabling environment for NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe / Nilda Bullain -- Socially responsible NGOs? : a European perspective / Paul Dekker -- The role and organization of voluntary action / Richard Fries -- Oversight on fundraising by NPOs : Dutch experiences with a European perspective / Adri Kemps -- Civil society in the Czech Republic / Petr Jan Pajas -- Learning for a lifetime : NGOs, capacity building and non-profit education in Easter Europe / Balazs Sator -- The international human rights movement : not perfect, but a lot better than many governments think / Hans Thoolen.

This volume presents a comparison of the experiences of NGOs in China and Europe. The chapters on China contain the most comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of various types of NGOs currently active in the country. The contributions on foreign NGOs in China, non-governmental think tanks, public interest legal organizations, labour related NGOs and charity organizations, are the first in English to discuss successful experiences as well as the difficulties they face in the post-Mao era. The European studies draw examples from countries where the experiences of NGOs are at various stages of development. The section on NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe examines the rapid expansion of civil society and their pivotal role in promoting political change and building democracy in a transitional society, as well as the challenges they confront in advancing a strong civil society. Those chapters on NGOs' experiences in Western European countries, especially in the Netherlands and the UK, provide insightful information and examination of the most contentious issues concerning NGOs' accountability, governance and relationship with the government.