Through any kind of formal and informal learning settings, it has been an overall national goal to shape an autonomous independent human being, so that people can function as proper citizens – who participate in society by voting, working, paying taxes and join voluntary activities and so on.  It has been a dominant discourse and tacit agreement in last several decades in Denmark (and probably also in other Scandinavian countries).

  Since the principles and influences of neoliberalism intruded to Denmark in 1990’ies, however, above-mentioned values has well reconciled with the logics of minimizing the welfare state by increasing the responsibility of the each individuals.  In the last years activities such as voluntary social work are flourishing, which reveals maturity of citizens’ everyday consciousness as well as economical and psychological surplus during the boom before financial crisis. Everyday makers and expert citizens (Bang & Sørensen) could been seen as the ones who played a role to create the civil society – but now, maybe against their wills, they risk to be the active agent to legitimize the government’s goal to get rid of (at least) some of the welfare tasks. 

  Due to my background that I am from Japan, I have always had a question in my mind last years; “how people in Denmark learn to be citizens and acquire consciousness in social and political issues in everyday life”.  However, I came to think that it is not enough that people are conscious citizens and making actions, mainly because of the concern for being exploited by state’s political orientation.  What could be the way, then, to act and create a bottom-up society, which has the optimal balance of public (state)/common (civil society)/private (market)?  It is especially an interesting question, when people can not afford much in recession, not only economically but also psychologically. 

  The presentation focuses on the challenges of everyday practices in civil society in relation to neoliberal impact in the policy, rather than finding the solution or a conclusion.  Those heavy issues remain to be discussed for other opportunities.