Conclusion: hope in an age of austerity and a time of anxiety

The final chapter returns to some key questions in the light of these empirical accounts of social renewal. What role can civil society play in response to neoliberalism and austerity, and should this be a source of hope or despair? What can we learn about the role of academia and the civic university in helping communities to thrive in turbulent times? Finally, what will emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic? Civil society’s actions are important building blocks for recovery, hope and renewal, but much depends on which framing narrative will emerge and dominate after the crisis.