What is it about?
This article sets out to review the extant literature on civil society. Indeed the literature on civil society abounds with several views and perspectives, especially on the theoretical debates on the concept. However, in order to avoid the unnecessary entanglement of the unending theoretical debates that have characterized the subject, the article focuses on the activities and operations as well as the usefulness of civil society in the twenty first century.
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Why is it important?
The article identifies some of the recent literature that discusses the activities of civil society across the globe. It begins by giving a general background to the concept of civil society. This is then followed by discussions on civil society and how it relates to democracy and democratic consolidation and development in different parts of the world with particular emphasis on Africa. It then examines the activities of CSOs in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region (with emphasis on Malaysia). It further examines the changing nature of CSOs in the midst of global crisis by discussing how civil society has operated in challenging times amidst financial crisis, terrorism, etc. It concludes by suggesting some new ways of understanding civil society.
Perspectives
What civil society really is depends on the context in which the concept is been applied. Thus, civil society can be the body, the group, the entity or institution that works to improve the governance process but is not the government; the space that serves for the actualization of the collective good of the society without necessarily aiming to gain material profit; the think tank that exists for the civic education of the citizens, independent of the state; and that professional entity which exists not just to promote and seek the interest of members, but also to ensure equity and fairness in society by bridging gaps of identity and inspiring hope for the common good.
Dr. Thomas Prehi Botchway
University of Education, Winneba
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Understanding the Dynamics and Operations of Civil Society in the 21st Century: A Literature Review, Journal of Politics and Law, February 2019, Canadian Center of Science and Education,
DOI: 10.5539/jpl.v12n1p108.
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