Registration for ISTR 2021 Now Open

Registration for ISTR’s 2021 Virtual Conference is now open.

March 15, 2021 is the last date for presenters to register in order to be included in the conference program.

As a reminder, ISTR 2021 membership is required for conference registration. If you are not a current paying member, please JOIN  before you register. You must be logged in with your membership account at istr.org in order to register.

NEW: In response to member requests, our Membership/Conference fee combination option provides a single invoice and payment process for conference registration with membership included.

REGISTRATION SUBSIDIES: ISTR will offer a limited number of registration subsidies that will reduce the conference registration fee to US 100.  Priority will be given to students and individuals from low-income countries. To apply, please complete this form by  26-February-2021. 

ISTR Conference Postponed: Rescheduled for 2021

RESCHEDULED DATES: 12 – 15 JULY  2021  

It is with deep regret that we inform you of the postponement of the 14th biennial International Conference of the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR).  Due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, we believe the responsible decision is to postpone the Montreal conference this year.  We are pleased that we have been able to reschedule for July 12-15, 2021 in Montreal. All papers, panels, posters, roundtables that have been accepted to ISTR 2020 will be automatically accepted to ISTR 2021.

While a virtual conference during the originally scheduled dates would be an alternative, ISTR’s small staff means that our infrastructure — both technological and logistical — cannot accommodate it in the given time frame.  We will begin to work on a plan to bring some panels and workshops to our members virtually.  Postponement of the conference does not preclude scholarly conversation via other means.  Please allow us some time to explore various options and share information about how to do this in the coming weeks.  This includes students accepted to the PhD Seminar, who will receive a separate communication about their participation. 

We are most grateful for the hard work of our Academic Committee, Montreal Host Committee, and PhD Seminar Co-Chairs.  We want to acknowledge their efforts over the past months to organize an excellent conference. 

As you may be aware, postponing the conference has serious financial implications for the Society.  ISTR counts on its membership dues to support the ongoing operations and initiatives of the association.  As mentioned above, we will be working hard to adapt and provide meaningful opportunities for member engagement this year. If you are not already a member, we hope you will join.  If your membership has expired, we encourage you to renew by visiting www.istr.org/membership

We are offering 3 options for your 2020 Conference registration fees:

1. Refund the full conference registration

2. Apply the registration funds to the 2021 Conference

3. Donate the registration fee to the Society 

Please click HERE for: refund, apply to 2021, or donate

We would like to thank each of you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this historic public health crisis.  We appreciate the notes of support and encouragement we have received to date.  We always like hearing from you and appreciate any additional thoughts or ideas you would like to share. 

On behalf of the officers and members of the board, we hope that you and yours remain safe and healthy in this trying time.

With deep appreciation,

Ruth Phillips
ISTR President

On behalf of ISTR Executive Committee, Conference Committees and Staff

ISTR 2020 – Early Registration Deadline Extended, ISTR 2020 Remains Scheduled

The health and safety of our members is our foremost priority.  Given the general concern about traveling due to the spread of Covid-19, ISTR is extending the early registration deadline to Monday, April 27, 2020.

The ISTR International Conference and ISTR PhD Seminar remains scheduled for July 2020.  Extending the author registration deadline will offer participants more time to consider their plans to travel to Montreal.

The Montreal Tourisme Office is keeping us informed about developments locally and we are monitoring other public health website.  Montreal is currently a low-risk destination for community spread of Covid-19.

If you decide not to attend we will refund your conference registration in full.  Due to the extraordinary circumstances, we will not charge the usual administrative fee on refunds.

We will keep monitoring the global situation and will provide updates.

We look forward to seeing you in Montreal. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Margery Daniels, at mdaniels@istr.org.

Please stay in touch!

With best regards,

Ruth Phillips
ISTR President

Informed citizens, capable young leaders, and a stronger non-profit sector: three challenges for Canadian foundations in 2020

Canadian organized philanthropy is significant in Canadian civil society. Among approximately 86,000 registered charities, we count over 10,000 registered public and private (primarily family) foundations, a proportion of all registered charities not dissimilar to that of foundations in the United States.  According to the most recent data available (from 2017) these foundations gave a total of $ 6.7 Billion to other Canadian charities.

But the raw data says very little about the quality and impact of this philanthropy.  Information remains patchy and anecdotal.  Efforts are being made to amplify the research on the impact of organized philanthropy but as yet there are few university-based clusters of researchers in Canada.  The Masters Program in Philanthropy and NonProfit Leadership at Carleton University has a node of researchers producing public material on philanthropic impact. And Philab Network at the University of Quebec at Montreal has been active for the past three years in publishing material on the impact of foundations. However, the academic literature remains surprisingly limited.

The literature may not make them visible, but we have a lively community of Canadian foundations and they are addressing some important issues for our society:

• Transitioning communities in the face of climate change
• Identifying sustainable growth strategies and policies
• Reconciling with the legacy of colonialism and the challenges faced by Indigenous communities
• Developing innovative approaches to the challenges of integrating young people into employment in a mature society shifting to a digital economy with new skills needs

Many of their stories are being told through Philanthropy In Action, on the site of by Philanthropic Foundations Canada, the philanthropy support organization for many public and private philanthropies. Here, we see evidence that Canadian funders are convenors, catalysts, policy developers and space holders, not simply grantmakers.

Earlier this year, I suggested that Canadian foundations consider three more specific challenges in 2020: media and democracy, non-profit leadership, and non-profit sector capacity.

1. What role can philanthropy play in promoting a more informed democracy?

Back in 2013, US-based observers suggested that “if a requirement of democracy is that all citizens have an equal opportunity to make their voices heard, then we must find ways to help that happen. A longstanding argument on the role of civil society is that it should do two related but somewhat opposite things: 1) serve as a means for bringing forward new ideas that with the support of the majority are put forward into government, and 2) serve as a place to support the ideas and interests of multiple minorities. Philanthropic organizations thus serve as a pipeline into democratic engagement, and as an incubator and home for ideas and communities that are still emerging or may not have found awareness or favor with the voting majority.”

Canadian foundations are working on media and democracy already. The Atkinson Foundation has supported  the Public Policy Forum’s “Shattered Mirror” investigation into the long-term implications of shifts in digital technology, news and politics. Digital news platforms are upending media business models. How to regulate and manage these new digital media platforms in ways that support informed citizens and better policy?  The McConnell and Rossy Foundations are supporting a digital democracy project at McGill’s Max Bell School of Public Policy.  Might we see more of this being done in Canada in 2020?

2.  The second challenge is building non-profit leadership.

How can Canadian philanthropy support the development of leaders from the millennial generation of people in their 30s today? The first millennials will be turning 40 in 2021. Are they ready to take on leadership positions in the Canadian non-profit sector?  This generation of leaders will be the one to confront head on the impact of huge and complex challenges such as climate change.  And this generation is also more focused on equity, inclusion and different ways of working. What do they need to build their skills?

Some foundations are paying close attention to helping youth prepare for the workplace.  RBC Future Launch and PwC Canada Young People Project are providing philanthropic support to mentoring, coaching, skills acquisition and work experience opportunities for young people.  The Counselling Foundation of Canada provides extensive support to youth planning their careers and developing their skills. What about developing non-profit leaders themselves in mid-career?  The Rozsa Foundation through its Arts Leadership Programs provides targeted assistance to leaders at all stages of their careers in arts organizations.  No reason why this approach could not be considered for other parts of the non-profit sector. And a small philanthropic investment such as this has very long-lasting impact.

3. The third challenge is building non-profit sector infrastructure.  

Elsewhere, I have argued for foundation support for intermediary organizations that provide collective action on rules and standards, gather intelligence, mobilize knowledge, and advocate with policy-makers. Relatively few private foundations in Canada have chosen to do this as a primary goal.  The Muttart Foundation and the Lawson Foundation are examples of philanthropy that recognizes the value of strengthening the philanthropic and charitable sectors.   Other foundations work to support infrastructure within their areas of interest. But there is still a major gap. These organizations and platforms are fragile. Small investments bring big dividends, especially if the investment is in capable leadership.

Viewing philanthropic strategies through these three lenses faces us with an important question for future research: How are foundations contributing to the development of informed citizens, capable young leaders, or a stronger non-profit sector in Canada overall?  Perhaps the discussions at ISTR in Montreal in 2020 will provide us with some answers.

Guest post by Hilary Pearson, Canadian expert on foundation philanthropy in Canada. She was the founding President of Philanthropic Foundations Canada, advises the federal government on policy and regulatory issues, has been a director on several major non-profit boards, and has worked with many of the largest private charitable foundations in the country.  Ms. Pearson serves on the Advisory Committee to the Masters in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program at Carleton University.

What to do around the Guy-Concordia metro station…

ISTR 2020 will take place at Concordia University, which is easily accessible by the nearest metro station: Guy-Concordia – right next to the university.  It is located in one of the busiest areas of Montreal’s downtown and there is plenty to see and do right in this area of the city. Its multipurpose and multiethnic character is illustrated by a staggering number of restaurants, pubs, stores, apartment buildings, and small businesses.

History

Guy-Concordia metro station was inaugurated in 1966 as part of the first metro line that was built to make the provision of public transport in Montreal more diverse and practical leading up to the 1967 International Exhibition. The Expo would transform Montrealers’s view of the world at a time when the province was coming out of the “Grande Noirceur” (The Great Darkness of conservative politics in Quebec) and diving right into the “Revolution tranquille” period of intense socio-political change in the province.

Around the station

Coming out of the station, you will have no problem finding a place to eat no matter which direction you might take. The area remains alive at all times!

With some luck, you might be able to get a table at the École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal (EMRTM, 1822 boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest, 514 350-8049). There you will get an excellent meal for a more than reasonable price. You will contribute at the same time to the professional training of students in cooking, tourism, and wine counseling. L’École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal is located in a magnificent Victorian building built in 1887 by the Montreal architect Alexander Francis Dunlop. The renovation work of the building was executed with the highest respect of the environment in mind, and the building has recently received a LEED-Silver certification.

You might find the Putting-Edge Glow in the Dark Mini-golf to be a fun experience. Yes, this is an inside minigolf experience in a dark but amusing environment! An unusual and relaxing group activity in a place where the outside weather does not matter (1259 Guy street, 514-507-8106). A particularly fun activity if your children are with you during the Conference.

For those who appreciate fine arts, the , just a few minutes from the metro, is a MUST!  Founded in 1860, the MBA is the museum par excellence. Since 2013, a patrimonial church adjacent to the museum is now part of the museum. The Salle Burgie, as it is now known, has been transformed into a 444 seat auditorium for concerts and conferences (1339 Sherbrooke street west).

Interested to see what is left of the New France period in the Montreal downtown area? You can visit the Domaine des Messieurs de Saint-Sulpice (2065 Sherbrooke west). The vast and green domain harbors the Tower, the College de Montreal, a private French secondary school for boys and  girls, its buildings and chapel, the Grand Seminaire de Montréal also with its buildings and chapel, and the last remnants of the old fort of the Mission de la Montagne (1675). It is located at the foot of the fort that gave its name to the street du Fort, where Marguerite Bourgeoys founded a school for young American girls. During the summer, the Grand Seminaire organizes visits which again provides an opportunity to learn about the rich history of Montreal.

The Montreal Masonic Memorial Temple is a historic masonic temple located on the corner of Sherbrooke Street and St. Marc Street (1850 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, 514 -933-6432). Opened in 1930, the work of the architect John Smith Archibal was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2001, as an example of one of Canada’s most elegant buildings in the Beaux-Arts style. The Masonic Memorial Temple, as its name suggests, was conceived as both a meeting place for the Masonic order as well as a memorial to the Freemasons who served and gave their lives during the Great War of 1914-18. An interesting fact about the Temple: the first true Masonic temple was established in 1825, in Old Montreal, where the Marché Bonsecours stands today.

Where to eat

• Qing Hua Dumplings (Chinese): 1676 Lincoln avenue
• Kazu restaurant (Japanese): 1862 Ste. Catherine west.
• Café Myriade owned by the barista Anthony Benda: 1432 Mackay street
• Crudessence (fresh, vegetarian, vegan, and uncooked cuisine): 2157 Mackay street
• Koa Lua (Poke): 1446 Ste. Catherine street west.

 

Thank you to Lorraine Bergeron, MA student, Concordia University for writing this post.

The impact from within – voicing our emotions in research

ISTR’s professional development workshops are designed by our own members, and respond to perceived needs within our own community.  This year we have a number of special sessions and workshops planned for the conference – you can read all about them on our website.

This year, one ISTR member is organizing a special kind of professional development workshop entitled “The impact from within – voicing our emotions in research.”  The intention of this workshop is not to propose a theoretical discussion, but rather to create a space where PhD students, scholars at different career stages, and practitioners may voice some of the personal issues they have experienced while doing research, such as experiencing feelings of rejection, failure, judgement, isolation, procrastination and pressure to excel.  Through a fishbowl format of interaction, we will start off the conversation and invite participants to join the conversation at any time.  And then together the group will discuss and share different strategies for coping with these stresses.

The workshop is being organized by Fabio Prado Saldanha, a PhD student at HEC Montréal.  He writes, “As a PhD candidate doing research with vulnerable young people living in the deprived outskirts of a huge metropolis, I was confronted  with realities that had never before been tangible for me. Doing research in places where barricades were built to prevent police from getting into the territory, and where drugs and weapons were deliberately displayed made me reflect beyond my role as a researcher while staring at structural social inequalities that I hardly feel able to change. After collecting my data in such environments, I came back to my hometown in Canada, and started to transcribe my interviews. The shock I felt was even stronger then. As I sat in front of my computer in a well-equipped house, I started to feel different emotions than I had when I was in the field.  Feelings like injustice and impotency really hit hard on me, culminating in even further negative moods that arouse throughout different periods of the day, until the moment that I searched for medical help and I was diagnosed with depression.”

The aim of this workshop is to create a safe, respectful, and welcoming space where participants may feel comfortable voicing the emotions they have experienced in research. Discussants are not previously determined: the audience itself will co-create the discussion. Although themes will be emergent-oriented, some topics will be proposed – such as family-work balance, insecurities about choices made, etc. –, with the intention to share strategies that we have developed to cope with our vulnerable situations in research.

As a community of researchers, if we intend to create impact in society with our research, it is also useful to take a look at these impacts from within.

If you plan to attend this workshop and would be willing to help get the conversation started, please email Secretariat@istr.org and let us know.

 

 

Exhibit and Advertise at ISTR 2020

ISTR and the consortium of Canadian hosts invite you to Exhibit and Advertise at the 14th International Conference in Montréal, Canada July 7-10, 2020.

Engage with 650+ leading nonprofit, civil society, and philanthropy scholars from all parts of the world.  Promote your products & services and expand your networks.

PRINT AND MOBILE ADVERTISEMENTS

Advertise in the printed conference program and on the conference app to make sure our 650+ attendees know about your academic program, recent publications, scholars, services, and share announcements.  Get a discount for print and app combined purchases.  Options and prices are available on our website.

The deadline for payment and art work is April 20, 2020. Space is available on a first-come/first-served basis.

EXHIBITS

Reserve an exhibit table adjacent to our popular coffee breaks and engage continuously with attendees.

NEW Academic Centers (university-based) can exhibit for free as ISTR members!

• demonstrate publishing services
• feature books, reports, and other publications
• promote academic centers and programs

Please reserve your space online by April 20, 2020.

For more information about the conference, please visit our conference website.

Visiting Montréal for ISTR 2020

Of the many opportunities ISTR Conferences offer, an important element is the opportunity to learn how the Third Sector manifests locally in the host country.  Our upcoming conference will feature panels on the Québecois and Canadian experience more broadly and a colloquium hosted by the ARIMA partnership embedded within the conference itself (starting the day before).  More information about these opportunities will follow in future blog posts.  For now, we wanted to help familiarize you with the city of Montréal and provide some context for the city where we will gather in July.

A striking union of European charm and North American attitude, Montréal presents visitors with a captivating combination of the historic and the new, from exquisite architecture in the Old Port to diverse art displays throughout the city to fine dining in the Plateau.

© Alexandre Choquette

Its strategic position in the St. Lawrence River made the island of Montréal a popular trading area for regional First Nations: the Atikamekw to the north, the Anishinaabe (Algonquin) to the west and the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk), part of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, to the south. Today, the First Nation communities most closely associated with Montréal are the Kanien’kehá:ka—who named the island Tiotia:ke—in the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory on the South Shore and the Kanehsatà:ke Lands on the North Shore, near Oka.

© Damien Ligiardi

Once home to the First Nations people, this island gem on the magnificent St. Lawrence River has seen travelers from far and wide visit its shores creating a bustling port city. The French colonists were the first to arrive, followed by the English, the Scottish and the Irish. Later, myriad peoples from around the world settled the fertile ground stretching up to the now defunct volcano Mount Royal.

Today, 120 distinct ethnic communities are represented in its population of more than 3.6 million, making Montréal a veritable mosaic of cultures and traditions. The world’s second largest francophone city after Paris, it truly merits the moniker ‘international’ city, a cosmopolitan centre with proud roots in the past that enthusiastically embraces the future. A world leader in such industries as aeronautics, information technology and biotechnology, the city has also made significant innovations in medicine, multimedia, the arts and urban planning. Its avant-garde spirit has not gone unnoticed: in 2006, Montréal was named a UNESCO City of Design. The strength and number of its academic institutions have also won Montréal the QS ranking of the top university city in the world.

Montréal provides a diversity of choices of activities for visitors day and night. It is host to a dizzying array of events, exhibitions, and festivals year round. While Montréal’s masterful chefs continue to elevate its reputation as a gourmet destination, creative artists and artisans draw admirers in droves to the haute couture ateliers, arts galleries and charming boutiques that line the city streets.

Getting around the city on a day-to-day basis is hassle-free. Its quaint streets, plentiful parks, underground pedestrian network, and métro system are safe and easy to navigate. The best way to get to know the city is on foot, through any one of its colourful and vibrant neighbourhoods, from Little Burgundy and Griffintown to the Plateau and TMR, which overflow with markets, boutiques, restaurants and local cafés—diverse expressions of the inhabitants’ joie de vivre. Montrealers are welcoming hosts and multilingual, passionate about their city and excited to share its abundance. Photo caption: © Festival MURAL – The Seven Deadly Sins, Buff Monster. Photo by Alexandre Choquette

Tourisme Montréal provides a constantly updated events calendar, https://www.mtl.org/en/what-to-do, searchable by date, type of activity, and area of the city to help make the most of your visit.

July in Montréal brings Formula One races, the International Jazz Festival, Francofolies, Juste pour rire, Fireworks, and a Circus Festival for just a start.

Foodies can search for hidden restaurants at https://www.restomontreal.ca/, while city and area tours by bike, scooter, boat, and foot can be found at https://www.mtl.org/en/what-to-do/tours.

Celebrating the Award Winners at the ISTR Conference

Several awards were presented at ISTR’s 13th International Conference at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam back in July and we would like to take this opportunity to tell you about the award winners.

Emerging Scholar Dissertation Award

This award, established in 2006 by an anonymous donor, is given once every two years at the biennial ISTR conference to the author of the best dissertation in the field of comparative study of civil society organizations, nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and voluntarism and related issues.  The purpose of the award is to encourage young scholars to enter the field of nonprofit and philanthropic studies throughout the world.  The winner this year was chosen from among 60 other entries from 28 countries. The overall quality of the entries, the diversity of the topics approached, the scope of areas addressed, as well as the spectrum of research methods utilized, left a very positive impression with the members of this year’s Selection Committee.

This year’s winner is Andrew Heiss, Brigham Young University, for his PhD thesis Amicable Contempt: The Strategic Balance between Dictators and International NGOs.

Examining the activities and adaption of international nongovernmental organisations (INGOs) in the context of increasing global restrictions on civic space, Andrew’s dissertation addresses the paradox that while INGOs’ service and advocacy activities can threaten the legitimacy and power of authoritarian regimes, numerous autocratic states still allow the work of INGOs; similarly, despite limitations and restrictions on their own activities, numerous INGOs continue to operate in these countries. Thus, the idea put forward and explored throughout the dissertation is that the relationship between INGOs and autocratic regimes is a state of amicable contempt: each party is aware that the other both threatens and supports their existence.

Focusing on the timeframe of 1991 to 2014, and on the three cases of Egypt, Russia and China, the dissertation addresses questions about: Why do regimes allow INGOs to work in their country? What influences INGO decision making in restrictive environments? How do regimes reap the benefits of INGOs programming? How do INGOs adapt to restrictions? A creative, detailed and thorough examination of an increasingly important international issue, the dissertation thereby provides a strong theoretical basis for examining INGO-dictator relationships. Additionally, it offers a diversity of practical findings that can be used by local and international NGOs to manage risk and to improve their likelihood of survival and impact of their work.

The Selection Committee also acknowledges the merit and achievements of the two other finalists.

Nora Derbal, Freie Universität Berlin, Charity for the Poor in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 1961–2015.

Sara Compion, University of Kentucky, Volunteering And Democratization In Southern Africa: A Structural And Cultural Analysis.

Best Articles in Voluntas 2016 & 2017

 These articles will be open access and available to the public for August and September.  Patricia Mendonca, University of Sao Paulo and chair of the awards committee, presented awards to:

• Abdulrazak Karriem, University of Western Cape Town, South Africa and Lehn M. Benjamin, Indiana University, United States, for their article, “How Civil Society Organizations Foster Insurgent Citizenship: Lessons from the Brazilian Landless Movement,” February 2016, Volume 27, Issue I, pp 19-36.
• Jasmin Slootjes, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Thomas Kampen, University for Humanistic Studies, The Netherlands for their article, “Is My Volunteer Job Not Real Work? The Experiences of Migrant Women with Finding Employment Through Volunteer Work,” October 2017, Volume 28, Isuue 5, pp 1900–1921.

Best Poster

Stefan Toepler, George Mason University, and Publications Committee Chair presented the award to Andre-Anne Parent; Stéphanie Tourillon-Gingras; and Christian Jetté, Université de Montréal for their poster The Entre-Maisons Ahuntsic – A Collaborative Project at the Hearth of Low-rent Housing Units. Click here to see the award-winning poster!

 “It is the task of the publications committee to select and confer the best poster presentation award.  Doing so is a very delightful task; our only regret is that we cannot offer any publications opportunities along with the award.  That said, in selecting our awardee, we look for both intellectual and visual appeal of the poster. Intellectually, we look for clearly presented statements of the research question and approach that also convince through concision. Visually, we like posters that utilize different design elements without being distracting and that easily guide the eye along … bonus points go to posters that manage to do so without overtaxing the eyes of the grey-haired crowd and do not force us to open the magnification app on our iPhones.  There were many highly fascinating posters, but this one had the best overall package.”

PhD 3 Minute Thesis

Ruth Phillips, University of Sydney in Australia and President-Elect of ISTR, presented the award for the PhD 3 Minute Thesis to Fanny Dethier for her presentation titled Seeing Through NPOs. A new innovation for ISTR, this experimental competition offered a light-hearted way for students in the ISTR PhD Seminar to practice the art of distilling their ideas down to the core questions and concerns in 3 minutes and 1 PowerPoint slide.  Ten students all gave very good presentations during the seminar and the experience was fun for the audience.  A prize was awarded to the person who made the case for their research in the most clear and compelling manner, and the winner made her presentation to the entire plenary. You can view a video of her presentation (at the end of the opening plenary) by clicking here.

But besides the fun, the 3-minute thesis teaches important lessons – research should be designed to be useful, and in order to be useful (and in order to funded!) the users need to understand it and believe in it.  Sometimes 3-minutes are all we have to get the attention of our audience.

It is ISTR’s hope that this competition provided an opportunity to make the wider conference attendees more aware of the PhD seminar, and hopefully inspired the students to feel more connected to the larger group of scholars and begin to see it as their research home into the future.

Congratulations to all the award winners!

Three highlights of the ISTR PhD Seminar 2018: Or why participation is highly recommended

Guest post by Franz Koranyi who is writing a PhD on ‘philanthropic engagement in community-based networks in the field of education’ at the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.

Do you know that feeling of anticipation preceding an important presentation or event? You anticipate your own excitement, helpful feedback of others, interesting encounters and wonder how you will experience the ambiance of the event. Preparing for the fourth ISTR PhD Seminar from 8^th to 10^th July on the train to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, I had this exact feeling. Like Mieke Berghmans I expected to have the (rare) opportunity to talk, discuss, and work with other early career researchers who are all interested in the same field, concerned with phenomena such as the third sector, philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. This promised the chance to discuss my PhD in a different way than I present it to my peers in educational science.

From the moment I arrived at the hotel, the feeling of excitement became a feeling of joy. We had all been booked in the same hotel which meant that we met right before the start of the seminar. Having been given the opportunity to share a room, I first met my roommate from Jamaica. This was a perfect match since he not only is a very empathetic person and great roommate, but also works on the engagement of foundations. So, we were on the same page from the very beginning. Arriving at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, we experienced a very welcoming atmosphere that instantly made us feel comfortable. After hearty welcoming words by the organizers Pelle Åberg (Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College) and René Bekkers (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), and an interesting keynote speech by Taco Brandsen (Radboud University), we were ready to go for very valuable two seminar days. In the following I am going to sketch three aspects that in my opinion significantly shaped that experience:

Group sessions: a key element of the PhD Seminar were the group sessions of about six or seven students and two faculty members. Every student had 45 minutes that were approximately divided into 15 minutes of presentation and 30 minutes of discussion. As stated by Mieke Berghmans this turned ‘normal’ presentations at conferences upside down, thereby providing more space for discussion of ideas, concepts, and most importantly challenges that you face at the moment. What I found to be most special in comparison to other workshops was that presentations went completely without slides. Instead, prepared with the abstracts of each participant, we sat together speaking to and discussing with each other. This implied for the presenter to come straight to the point; otherwise you risked that your audience would lose your line of thought. Still, in cases of confusion participants could easily make additional clarifications. The group sessions had a very positive atmosphere as described for the years before by Christiane Rudmann, and we received valuable feedback by students and faculty members alike.

Community: another important element of the PhD Seminar was the interaction outside of group sessions. There were tons of opportunities to enter into conversations with each another: We mingled in breaks (with delicious catering), enjoyed a lovely BBQ together, drank a glass of wine at the reception, or danced at the PhD party (to the music played by René Bekkers and band). This allowed us to meet fascinating people from all over the world in a more informal setting (more than 50 students from over 20 countries). At the same time, the range of interests was overwhelming, ranging from measuring the third sector in Malaysia for the first time, seeking civil society and the public sphere in social media, to research on volunteering by vulnerable groups. All the interaction gave us the opportunity to connect with each other and exchange not only knowledge, ideas, and daily challenges in the PhD life, but also talk about matters apart from our academic identity.

Professional development: the PhD seminar as well as additional workshops during the conference provided the opportunity for us to also think about our future careers. During the seminar we were offered three workshops on scholarly identity, the tenure track, and getting published that were chaired by a faculty member. These were open formats, in which information on the subject was mixed with personal experiences and stimulated by additional participant inputs as well as questions. For example, scholars in third sector research often face the challenge that they need to specialize in another discipline since (at least in Europe) schools in nonprofit / third sector studies are rare. Thus, we discussed what strategies are suited to cope with this challenge. Furthermore, during the subsequent ISTR conference, there were more workshops on professional development such as ‘post-doc opportunities’, ‘teaching and learning’, ‘non-academic job market’, ‘navigating job-market and career strategies’ and ‘academic job interviews’. These workshops provided food for thought and offered opportunities for further exchange on our future plans.

These are only three aspects of the PhD Seminar, however, there was even more to experience (e.g., a 3 Minute Thesis Competition as described by Steph Haywood) that would not fit into the space of this post. Thus, I highly recommend applying for the next ISTR PhD Seminar in 2020 – because of both the excited feeling before meeting your fellow PhD colleagues and the joyful, interesting, and valuable experience during the seminar sessions, social exchanges, professional development workshops and many more. A big thank you to the team at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the ISTR, the faculty members and all the fellow PhD students for making this experience possible. I am looking forward to seeing you at another seminar or conference.