Non-Governmental Organizations and Social Movements: Substance and Roles

Abstract

Saskia Sassen argues that the global popular adherence and allegiance to many of non-governmental organizations give rise to a recent phenomenon: the creation of transnational citizens. This chapter examines some of the most significant issues of concern and the reasons for the social movements and the organizations, in order to ascertain the extent to which they adhere to their stated intent and support their stated commitments and goals, rather than collaborate with either corporate or governing bodies and support the status quo instead. UNESCO is not a protest or even a social movement, but it is important to note significance of an appeal to the collective values of humanity regarding its intangible and artistic patrimony. The current and ongoing instances of (CR) are quite different from the carefully targeted and directed (CD) of old, which resulted in triumph of human rights and justice over unjust laws.Keywords: civil disobedience (CD); civil resistance (CR); corporate bodies; human rights; non-governmental organizations; social movements; UNESCO