Civic energy and the traditions of the idea of civil society: Dilemmas, frames and discussions

Abstract

Can the idea of civil society be helpful in the analysis of civic energy? What does the term ‘civil energy society’ mean? How can the tradition of civil society in social sciences translate into the theory and practice of grassroots energy initiatives? The aim of this article is to organise the concepts and translate the history of the idea of civil society into the contemporary phenomenon of civic energy. On one hand, the authors point to the potential of the old tradition of civil society (Hegel, Gramsci, the tradition of democratic opposition movements in Eastern Europe and South America) for energy research. On the other, they pose a number of questions and indicate theoretical and political dilemmas that the civil energy sector must face: what is the attitude towards the state; what are or can relationships with the market be; are these only local initiatives closed within the borders of the nation state or can we speak of a supranational global civil energy society? The article encourages a serious debate between academics and community energy practitioners.