We should like to thank all the authors in this volume for their hard work, perseverance and patience during the long and at times not so straightforward path towards publication. Before being submitted to review by the Press, the chapters in this volume had been object of independent peer-review by international specialists: we are very grateful to them for accepting our invitation to act as readers and for their invaluable contribution.
The idea for this volume originated in a conference organised by the editors at the Danish Institute at Athens in May 2014, as part of the research activities of the Copenhagen Associations Project, generously funded by two grants of the Carlsberg Foundation. We are very grateful for the support received.