This volume overlooks the distinct expressions and awareness of
volunteering in the lived reality of people from different regions of
the world. By casting the net widely this book not only expands the
geographic reach of experiences, models and case studies but also
transcends the conventional focus on formal volunteering. It highlights
institutional forms of volunteering specific to developing nations and
also describes volunteering that is more loosely institutionalized,
informal, and a part of solidarity and collective spirit. As a result
this book provides a different look at the values, meaning, acts and
expressions of volunteering.
The chapters in this book consist of essays and case studies that
present recent academic research, thinking and practice on volunteering.
Working from the premise that volunteering is universal this collection
draws on experiences from Latin America, Africa including Egypt, and
Asia. This book focuses on developing countries and countries in
transition in order to provide a fresh set of experiences and
perspectives on volunteering. While developing countries and countries
in transition are in the spotlight for this volume, the developed
country experience is not ignored. Rather the essays use it as a
critical reference point for comparisons, allowing points of
convergence, disconnect and intersection to emerge.
