Introduction or preface

- The article intends to describe the dynamics of civil society and third sector, after an analysis of the major changes that have affected the social policies and the welfare mix. The paper focuses on self help groups, analyzing it as a new component of civil society, as new forms of collective action and "non-conventional mechanisms of representation" in public policy. It will highlight how academic research becomes essential in this context, also to understand and define the real contribution of all those entities to the implementation of social policies.Key words: self help groups, deliberative democracy, welfare mix, social policies, social research, participation