The concept of civil society appeared emphatically with the end of the cold war, with the wider prevalence of democratic institutions that essentially led to the creation of new forms of representation and citizenship. At the same time, globalization and the transformation of the welfare State have strengthened the role of new forms of policy-making. These new forms, such as social movements and non-governmental organizations (NGOS) began to acquire more and more attention. This course aims to analyze the political influence of civil society actors in the decision-making process. It begins with an attempt to familiarize students with concepts like civil society, social movements and NGOs, within a broader context of historical development and under the broader conceptual framework of global governance. Focusing on the most important representatives of modern civil society, the NGOs, the course will attempt to define them, and explain their role in the context of global governance. The lectures will focus on Greece considering initially the broader evolution of Civil Society and subsequently the position and the role of NGOS.