Europe and the other: Non-European concepts of civil society
The idea and contributions of this collection of articles on “Non-European concepts of civil society” originate from a European research project. The European Civil Society Network (CiSoNet) deals with a highly important aspect of European integration and enlargement, namely, the emergence, dynamics, and perspectives of a European-wide civil society. Ci- SoNet is embedded in the EC’s 5th Framework Programme’s Key Action on “Improving the socio-economic knowledge base”, spanning a period of work from 2003 to 2005. Its aim is to stimulate cross-disciplinary research concentrating on transnational dimensions of civil society, and thereby to contribute to the establishment of a European research area within the social sciences and the humanities.
Fragmented civil society and its influence on the development of democracy - Implications for EU democracy Promotion in Pakistan
One of the consequences of today’s wide-shared consent on the desirability of democracy as basic pattern of a state system is that democracy promotion in third countries has become an important feature within development cooperation. In this thesis the focus is on the role of civil society for the development of democracy in the context of Pakistan and on implications that can be drawn for EU external democracy promotion in the country. A ‘vibrant’ civil society is often considered an important basis for democracy and especially as playing a decisive role for its consolidation, an idea that is also inherent in the EU understanding of civil society. The main interest of this thesis is to examine different segments that make up Pakistan’s fragmented civil society and how those can be evaluated with regard to their potential to strengthen democracy in the country. Six basic conditions for a civil society to be conducive to democracy as well as distinctions such as ‘urban/modern’ vs. ‘traditional/religious/ethnic/clan-based’ and ‘civil’ vs. ‘uncivil’ spaces of society with regard to active organisations and their influence and support in Pakistan provide the general framework for analysis. On this basis, implications for EU democracy promotion are pointed out, assessing the EU concept of civil society in the context of Pakistan and making suggestions for appropriate democracy promoting approaches taking into account possible constraints.
Solidarity and the Politics of Anti-Politics: Opposition and Reform in Poland since 1968.
Preface Abbreviations 1. The Style of Solidarity Right and Left A Postmodern Politics 2. Civil Society and the "Third Road" Capitalism and Civil Society State Socialism and Civil Society The "Third Road" 3. The Genesis of Political Opposition in Poland: 1944-1970 Opposition in the Era of "People's Democracy" Stalinism and Post-Stalinism The Demise of Revisionism: 1968-1970 4. Opposition and Civil Society: 1970-1980 Late Post-Stalinism and the Turn to Civil Society Politics and the Reconstruction of Social Ties Anticipatory Democracy Politics and the Problem of the State 5. Politics, Anti-Politics, and the Beginnings of Solidarity Independent Unions: Government Resistance (Buying off strikers with wage increases Offering a reorganization of the old unions instead of the creation of new ones Trying to limit new unions to certain regions Repackaging old unions as new ones) Signs of Hope The Structure of Solidarity The Significance of Solidarity's First Period 6. Solidarity, Democracy, and Neocorporatism Neocorporatism and Democracy The Turn to Politics The August Turning Point Last Attempts at a Political Solution A Neocorporatist Proposal The Final Weeks 7. The Poverty of Martial Law: Limping Toward Reform Organizing an Underground Church and State Amnesty and Disarray The Right-Wing Critique of Solidarity Referendum and Reorganization The Party Moves Toward Reform Toward an Anti-Crisis Pact 8. The Viability of an Accord The Basis of Soviet Acceptance Poland and the "Spanish Road" Epilog: The New Solidarity Postscript Notes Bibliography Index