Civil society in South Africa: Learning from gender themes

Abstract

The article relies on gender concepts and women's perspectives to inform and challenge established understandings of civil society. Based on interviews with women in South Africa, it reaffirms the interconnectedness of the public and private domains and of women's strategic and practical interests. It also demonstrates women's distinct contribution to civil society and the relevance of violence to an evaluation of civil society. The findings also suggest how a gendered approach may contribute to assessments of civil society in ways that go beyond gender concerns; for example, narrow state focused definitions of civil society exclude not only women's but most non-elite associational life.