The State and Civil Society: the case of Citizens’ Groups in the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Abstract

AbstractMongolia is a vast landlocked, sparsely populated, country which shares borders with China and Russia. Two decades of democratic government has coincided with rapid cultural, social, environmental and economic change marred by increasing inequality. Addressing the challenges of inequality demands meaningful engagement between state and non-state actors in the emergent democracy of Mongolia. This article focuses on research with Citizens’ Groups, semi-formal grassroots groups involved in community development in ger districts of Ulaanbaatar, the capital city. Drawing on research undertaken in 2017 with members of Citizens’ Groups and employed staff of Non-Government Organizations it explores the interaction between government (in the form of local government or Khoroo) and civil society (in the form of Citizens’ Groups). Data was collected via interviews, focus groups and site visits with over thirty people. Accordingly, the paper continues a focus on emerging community development practices in East Asia, a region both benefiting from and challenged by urbanization from rural to urban settings. The paper concludes that Citizens’ Groups are key to realizing the Government’s commitment to building social capital, social innovation and the social economy. To realize this goal, however further work is required to promote a democratic political culture, expand citizen participation and strengthen co-operation between the State and civil society.