Preface by Jean Bonvin and Miguel Angel Martinez -- Part One: Introductory Overview -- -Introduction by Henny Helmich and Jos Lemmers -- Report and Executive Summary by Ed van Thijn and Amanda Bernard -- Conviviability: The Role of Civil Society in Development by Lourdes Arizpe -- Part Two: Conceptual Questions -- Towards a Multi-Cultural Civil Society: The Role of Social Capital and Democratic Citizenship by Percy B. Lehning -- Shaping Civil Society by Axel Hadenius and Fredrik Uggla -- Civil Society and Global Governance: Globalisation and the Transformation of Politics by Kees Breed -- Part Three: The Role of External Actors -- Civil Society and Building Democracy: Lessons from International Donor Experience by Harry Blair -- The NGO Sector and its Role in Strengthening Civil Society and Securing Good Governance by Diana Mitlin -- Part Four: Perspectives from Developing Regions -- The Growing Civil Society in Asia: An Overview and Proposals for Future Action by Aye Aye Win -- Civil Society in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Can Western Countries Help Civil Society in Africa? by Patenema Francois Sedogo -- Networking Civil Society in Latin America by Monica Allmand -- Civil Society in the Euro-Mediterranean Arena by Fifi Benaboud -- Considerations for Donors -- Annex 1. Civil Society and Development Cooperation -- Annex 2. Programme and List of Participants
Summary
Interest in the concept of civil society has undergone a remarkable renaissance in the 1990s. It is currrently seen as a potential tool to overcome some of the main theoretical and political stalemates. But what exactly does the concept of civil society mean? Can civil society really be a counterweight to governments which have become too remote from their people? The Western concept of what constitutes civil society may well have to be adjusted when applied to developing economies where different cultural forces and values come into play. This book takes up the challenge of defining civil society's role in furthering developmental objectives within the context of developing societies themselves. It compares the activities and attitudes of different elements of civil society within the development process, and suggests ways in which they could be made more effective. It also shows that governments should not try to replace their own development activities with those of civil society
Analysis
Socio-Economics
Notes
Issued also in French under title: La société civile et le développement international
Proceedings of a meeting held 4-5 July 1997 in Paris
