Book/Monograph

This monograph examines the construction of the volunteer as a moral Greek and European citizen in early 21st century Greece. Narratives of volunteerism and civil society that emerged at that time echoed the modernisation and Europeanisation visions of Greek society. The volunteer emerged as the epitome of the modern citizen, a disinterested subject working voluntarily for the common good. Yet these projects remained fragmented and incomplete in Greece. A certain “lack of volunteerism” was broadly attributed to Greek exceptionalism. The book challenges this dominant hypothesis regarding the presumed underdevelopment of volunteerism and suggests an alternative analytical approach...

"Welcome to Leros is a story of chaos, heartache, sometimes humour; of hope and solidarity. It tells how ordinary people living on a small Greek island join forces with a new community of international volunteers to respond to a sudden influx of refugees fleeing war, torture and persecution in the Middle East" (...) "It tells of a time when thousands of people across Europe rise in solidarity, offering whatever they can of themselves, inspired purely by compassion for their fellow human beings in their time of suffering and need."