ABSTRACT
Integrating civil society actors into local systems of governance is part of the rescaling process in the neo-liberal city, in which former fields of the welfare state’s responsibility become less important. The invocation of public commitment not only as an opportunity to take part as an active member of society but also as an act of taking the necessary responsibility of a citizen reveals a fundamental transformation of citizenship. The article explores how new modes of regulation increase civil commitment as a governing resource, how they transfer responsibility, and thus lead to a transformation of the conditions for participation and activism.
