The case study investigates study association representatives’ perspectives on the activities of the popular education within the social sector in Örebro and why they are organized. It further investigates the cooperation and dialogue between the study associations and the municipality of Örebro regarding this activity. The study is based on critical realism. A questionnaire survey was conducted among all ten study associations in Örebro, combined with qualitative interviews with representatives from six of the active associations. Responses from both studies proofs that all of the study associations are active within the social sector. A significant part of the popular education activities organized by the associations can thus be referred to as social work. These activities are funded by governmental mains in accordance with “The regulation on state aid for popular education”. According to the association representatives there are gaps in the dialogue with the municipality of Örebro, which may be related to occurring changes at the structural level, between the civil society and the public sector. Society, earlier characterized by corporative structures, moves towards a more pluralistic state which changes the conditions for cooperation and dialogue between the public sector and organizations active in the civil society. At the same time, in a neo-liberal spirit, there is a market adjustment of the popular education, which changes the conditions for the study associations, the necessity and demand for social work-like activities at within popular education increases.