Caring Communities represent the promise of a supportive coexistence - but solidarity is not a given. It does not arise from good intentions, but through tough discussions about who cares for whom, who bears what responsibility, and how a Caring Community can truly function. This text celebrates, illuminates, and deconstructs the central theses on Caring Communities. Because without critical reflection, the concept remains empty. Do we really need more communal responsibility, or is that just a convenient excuse for the retreat of the welfare state? Do Caring Communities promote participation, or do they create new exclusions? This book does not provide simple answers but opens up a long-overdue debate. Those who take Caring Communities seriously must be willing to question them.

Peter Zngl, Prof. Dr., studied social sciences in Berlin, Mannheim, and Bochum after completing his training as a graduate public administrator (employment administration). His work and research focus particularly on the fields of civil society, social management, participatory organizational models, and artificial intelligence. He has been a visiting professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, for many years and is a member of the 'Caring Community Switzerland' network as well as co-chair of the 'Self-Organization Network'.