Civil Society Relations Research Articles

Rechtstaat dan Konstitusionalisme dalam Pemikiran Abdurrahman Wahid (1940-2009) dan Hasyim Muzadi (1944-2017)

Abstract: Rechtstaat and Constitutionalism in the Thought of Abdurrahman Wahid (1940-2009) and Hasyim Muzadi (1944-2017). This study aims to explore the thoughts of Abdurrahman Wahid and Hasyim Muzadi about rechtstaat and constitutionalism. This study uses the juridical-normative method with the historical-normative approach and the type of qualitative data. The data sources consist of primary, secondary, and tertiary data obtained from the number of literature and documentation. While the data collection techniques are obtained from book reviews and documentation. Data analysis method is conducted deductively and inductively. The result of this study reveals that the state law and the constitutionalism in the thoughts of Abdurrahman Wahid and Hasyim Muzadi refer to the constitution of Madinah and civil society in relation to religion and state. Abdurrahman Wahid and Hasyim Muzadi can be positioned as substantial, pluralist, nationalist, and humanist religious thinkers. Abdurrahman Wahid and Hasyim Muzadi’s contribution has proved to give improvements in strengthening the relationship between religion and state in Indonesia and has implications for rechtstaat’s future and constitutionalism in the Islamic legal system in Indonesia. The critical findings of this research are the thoughts of Abdurrahman Wahid, and Hasyim Muzadi provides enlightenment of idea and solution to the problematic rechtstaat with a cultural-religious approach.

Desarrollo sustentable y fortalecimiento de la sociedad civil

The paper argues that the trajectory of the Americas Fund has validated it as a specialized institution in managing environmental issues in Chile, and that its mission springs from the commitment to two fundamental values: sustainable development and participatory democracy. The article then outlines the evaluation of their institutional policies and stresses its support for the creation and strengthening of capacities of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and grassroots organizations, through annual competitions as the main tool of corporate management. Then it delves into the concepts of sustainable development and civil society in relation to the new role taken by the liberal state. It also arises questions on public-private cooperation for sustainable development, and proposes new social policies and a 'new deal' with the third sector.

The Regulation of Economic Relations in Civil Society: the European Private Law Approach

The Regulation of Economic Relations in Civil Society: the European Private Law Approach

Fostering institutionalisation? The impact of the EU accession process on state–civil society relations in Serbia

In the framework of its enlargement policy, the EU has placed considerable emphasis on supporting civil society organisations (CSOs) both as domestic drivers of change and as a means to foster new, more participatory modes of governance. Our research examines the impact of the EU accession process on state–civil society relations in the Western Balkans and assesses the extent to which new forms of interaction are becoming institutionalised. Comparing minority rights and environmental regulation in Serbia, we find that enlargement negotiations lead to increased dialogue and more formalised interactions between government and CSOs. However, the institutionalisation of state–CSO cooperation remains partial and is hampered by a lack of political will. Whereas civil servants are generally open to civil society input, political officials frequently resort to facade cooperation in response to external pressures. We conclude that the emerging governance model is nothing like the ‘double weakness’ or agency capture found in earlier studies, but instead consists of strong hierarchy and a narrow group of highly professional CSOs engaged at the margins.

Canada goes global: building transnational relations between Canada and the world, 1968–2017

ABSTRACTWhile theorists of global civil society champion the rise of non-state actors and their role in changing global systems, Canadian foreign policy scholarship regularly minimizes the role of civil society in influencing the international activities of the Canadian state. Drawing on international relations scholarship regarding the relationship between globalization and transnational civil society relationships, this article provides an overview of the growing role of Canadian civil society actors in the process of foreign policy decision-making since 1968. The article focuses on three policy areas – trade, security and development policy – and argues that while civil society actors’ influence has varied across administration and policy areas, there is a general pattern of increased government–civil society interaction and of transnationalization of Canadian civil society actors over this time period.

Солидарные основания гражданского общества в российском регионе

The problem of solidary foundations of civil society in relation to the Russian region conditions is considered. It is proved that it is consolidation that creates real prerequisites for a real, rather than imitative, process of establishing civil relations in society. However, based on the analysis of the experience of Belgorod Oblast, where the Strategy “Formation of a regional solidarity society for 2011–2025” has been adopted and implemented, it is concluded that the Strategy is being implemented in an extremely inconsistent and contradictory manner. This is due to the fact that solidarity is a social phenomenon based on mutual trust of public subjects, the achievement of which, in its turn, in Russian conditions is significantly determined by the presence of a sense of social justice. In this context, the ineffectiveness of consolidation practices is considered as a result of the prevailing perception of the injustice of social relations among a large part of citizens and the widespread “culture of distrust” in the public consciousness.

The concept of civil society and public administration

The category of «civil society» is at the intersection of several scientific fields and is explored by philosophy, political, legal, and other sciences. Today, both among Western and domestic researchers, there is a rather large variety of opinions and assessments regarding the interpretation of the complex, multidimensional issues of civil society. And the achievements of various scientific fields should be involved in the reform of the system of public administration and local self-government, as well as to find an effective model of public administration with effective mechanisms of interaction between government and society. To this end, a brief theoretical analysis of the concept of civil society has been made since the ancient times, when in the history of civil society and state relations two tendencies, called liberal and conservative, have emerged and began to emerge.The first is the division of civil society and state, in opposition to man and political power; is based on recognition of the indivisibility of the individual as a subject of law, guaranteeing his freedom of life and the limited political power. The second (conservative trend) - in the merger of man and power, politics and law, within a single statehood. With the consistent development of this trend, state policy rests on the notion that private interests are insignificant, irrelevant. Activation of state policy and recognition of the right of state dominance over society are put forward.The author draws attention to the fact that civil society in the West (where liberalism prevails) has evolved over a long historical period, and therefore differs from those in the countries that have become independent after the collapse of the USSR. Therefore, one should not be attracted to the borrowing experience of other countries. In the author’s opinion, one must find his own, possibly unique, model that is relevant to our national traditions, which should be oriented towards the principle of individualism, and not collectivism. At the present stage of development, the role of the state and the authorities is to improve the system of public administration, to develop effective mechanisms that should promote the development of civil society in Ukraine.

Seeing like a city through the Singapore City Gallery

Urban planning galleries are interpretive spaces that assert the state’s vision for the city. Ostensibly public showcases of a city’s past, present, and future, state administrations use these sites for specific purposes. On the one hand, planning galleries are designed to convince the public, tourists, and investors that their cities are aspiring towards a greater and more optimistic future. On the other hand, these galleries imply to visitors that the state holds extensive spatial knowledge about their territory—in essence, planning galleries are a material and discursive assertion of state sovereignty. Such assertions are a reaction to shifts in the state–civil society relationship, and represent the state’s desire to have citizens appreciate the challenges of urban management—to see like the city. This paper evaluates the Singapore City Gallery (SCG)—a performative space maintained by the Urban Redevelopment Authority that reasserts the state’s vision for Singapore. I argue that sites like the SCG are significant for understanding how cities are being made through negotiation between the state and diverse publics.

The Modus Operandi of Urban Agriculture Initiatives

Urban agriculture (UA) has turned into a diverse and complex movement. Important challenges will be to set accurate expectations by civil society in relation to UA development, and to find ways to discuss UA in governance and collaboration networks from an aggregate point of view. However, analytical tools that allow comprehensive study of UA initiatives (UAIs) are absent. This article elaborates on a conceptual framework from the COST Action Urban Agriculture Europe (Prové et al. 2015) and evaluates findings that result from applying the framework to four UAIs. We found that, analytically, the framework generates in-depth information on UAIs, and argue that it can be a useful tool in networks that are responsible for collaboration, support, or governance within the UA movement. We also discuss its usability issues and discuss future research.

Internationally mobile academics: Hierarchies, hegemony, and the geo-scientific imagination

The global migration of academic researchers and staff tends to follow a geographical hierarchy that has the USA at its centre. In this paper, we apply Gramsci’s concept of hegemony to explore the way in which the geo-scientific imagination of mobile researchers endorses hierarchies and asymmetries of the international academic system. While academic institutions and practices can be considered instruments for the organization and reproduction of hegemonic relations in civil society, this paper addresses hegemonic relations within the international academic system itself. An analysis of 42 interviews with mobile academics based in Canada and Germany affirms how mobile academics consent to the reproduction of a hegemonic academic hierarchy of countries. At the same time, however, the analysis reveals differentiated views that nest individual universities, departments, and disciplines in the context of national academic systems. The analysis also uncovers interesting shifts in the geo-scientific imagination of global academic hierarchies.

Sport and civil society in the Nordic region

This paper examines the key elements within the relationships of sport and civil society in Scandinavia. The analysis combines themes and developments in Nordic sport and civil society, such as the role of the welfare state and the impacts of neoliberalism, with consideration of specific national experiences, especially in Finland. The discussion has four main parts. First, we set out the principal features of the ‘Nordic model’ of society, and how it shapes sport and civil society relations. Second, we advance a Finnish case study, examining the historical connections of three sectors to the national sport culture. Third, we consider how, in recent decades, the Nordic model has encountered and sought to respond to neoliberalism and globalization processes. Finally, we explore how Nordic societies have sought to influence globalization processes and ‘global civil society’ through sport, specifically through taking lead roles within the transnational ‘sport for development and peace’ sector.

Re-visioning morality and progress in the security domain: insights from humanitarian prohibition politics

This article offers a novel understanding and theorization of humanitarian disarmament regimes and their related prohibition politics. In doing so, it utilizes a power-analytical framework and puts in use four conceptions of power: productive, structural, institutional, and compulsory. Empirically, two potent humanitarian prohibition regimes that have been formed during the last two decades are examined. The ban of anti-personnel landmines (APLs) in 1997 marked a significant shift in humanitarian disarmament. Consequently, a humanitarian disarmament model emerged, consisting in bypassing permanent arms-control fora (“The Ottawa Process”). The ascent of the model to the arena traditionally dominated by power interests of major powers and ossified lowest-common denominator consensus was confirmed in 2008 when cluster munitions (CMs) were prohibited in a very similar fashion (“The Oslo Process”). The main contribution to the topic is the application of the power-analytical framework specifically developed to suit an analysis of formation and workings of global prohibition regimes, including heterarchy-of-power discussion of the relationship between states and non-state actors. Then, instead of the usual—and flawed at best—heroic discussions of victories of global civil society in relation to the establishment of regimes, rise of moral International Relations, and supposed progressivist teleology, a more complex picture with many contradictions, artefacts, and their layering inside and about those regimes looms large.

Approaches to civil society in authoritarian states: The case of China

AbstractBoth civil society in China and research on Chinese civil society have developed profoundly over the last three decades. Research on Chinese civil society can be classified into two categories: a structure‐oriented approach and an agency‐oriented approach. Both approaches acknowledge the state's dominant position in restricting the political space for civil society engagement, but they differ in their understanding of state–civil society relations. A key concern within the structure‐oriented approach is to analyze how the autonomy of civil society organizations is shaped by their structural position vis‐à‐vis the state. Agency‐oriented scholars, on the other hand, reject the analytical focus on structural autonomy. Instead, they build on a more nuanced understanding of the authoritarian yet nonmonolithic context in China and analyze how civil society organizations develop specific strategies to be able to operate within their restricted political space. In particular, agency‐oriented scholars have analyzed two ways in which organizations exercise agency: by strategically developing formal or informal ties with state actors and by bringing their engagement into the public sphere to raise awareness and express their voice. What could be further developed in the agency‐oriented approach is, however, a deeper understanding of the political dimensions of civil society agency.

Politics of Conviviality? State–Civil Society Relations Within the Context of Counter-Terrorism in Nigeria

There are emergent interests on the dynamics of counter-terrorism measures (CTMs) at global, regional and national levels, particularly with respect to how CTMs intersect with and shape state–civil society relations. Using a descriptive research design, this study examines how the implementation of CTMs influences the dynamics of state–civil society relations in Nigeria. The stratified random sampling was used to select 205 programme officers of civil society organizations (CSOs), while purposive sampling was used to select 29 executive directors of CSOs for in-depth interviews. The descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings show that the capacity of CSOs to contribute to CTM is shaped by the politics that places CSOs in the service of the government. Their positioning helps establish an environment of conviviality in which CSOs advance the interest of the state in the context of counter-terrorism, and in turn, the state engages and endorses CSOs. The paper argues that CTMs are increasingly impinging on the operations of CSOs in Nigeria, thus constraining the autonomous space that defines CSOs that lie at the intersection of state and society.

The Role of Technological Teaching Methods Used in Education on the Development

Different teaching methods are used to make individuals' learning easier and effective. Technological teaching tools are often used in this context. Technological teaching methods create socioeconomic effects while increase human capital, because investments made in human beings provide benefits, both for individuals and society in a long term. In this study, firstly the use of technological teaching methods is investigated and secondly, the role of the gains obtained in the development is analyzed. According to the results obtained, technological teaching methods cause externalities such as reduction of crime rates, revitalization of the economy thanks to investments, increase in the quality of relations of civil society, increase in HDI and increase in employment.

State and Civil Society Relationships in Indonesia: A society-oriented Reading in Search for Democratic Space

This paper has shown how the relationship between state and civil society in Indonesia is part of the problem of building democratic government. The problems in Indonesian society is the polycentric nature, by which civil society organisations or popular organisations are being fragmanted and often unorganised. This has made it increasingly difficult to transform various conflicts into more political through democratic institution. At least there are four major problems:The first problem is when a strong civil society faces an ineffective state tactic of governmentality. This tends to stimulate civil society resistance and conflict; or it fosters coexistence through alternative governmentality techniques where the relationship between the state and society is in conflict. The second problem is when a weak civil society faces and effective state. This tends to trigger practices of money politics which are embedded in patronage and clientelism. The third problem can be found in the situation where weak civil society faces an ineffective state which tends to stimulate the emergence of extralegal governmentality practiced by thugs, militia, vigilantes, and paramilitaries. The fourth problem is reflected in the situation where a strong civil society faces an effective state.

Understanding Zimbabwe: from liberation to authoritarianism and beyond

This book is a very welcome addition to the historiography of Zimbabwe's recent past. Sara Dorman's careful arguments, backed up by meticulous research, embrace the complexity and contradictions of modern-day Zimbabwe. She offers a nuanced discussion of the country's particular path to decolonization since independence in 1980, deftly dodging a simplistic demonization of Robert Mugabe or excessive focus on the violent ruptures and gradual socio-economic reconstitution around the Fast Track Land Reform Programme. Writing in a clear and accessible style, she underlines the importance of particularity and unique circumstance in individual African countries' paths to independence and their post-colonial trajectory. Dorman highlights the importance of state–civil society relations and sternly condemns facile accounts of ethnic politics. In her view, understanding African politics requires an appreciation of the ‘cultural and normative politics of citizenship, voice and nation-building’. ‘Nationalism’ is grounded in a ‘re-conceptualization of power relations’. This, then, explains how individual nations emerged, state institutions developed and societies negotiated a new terrain post-independence. In her framework, which emphasizes the dynamics of change and continuity, the material drivers of accumulation (‘spoil politics’) and power politics are not ignored—far from it—but Dorman stresses that any analysis of these practices needs to be set in this broader discursive, institutional and social context. Also, as Dorman underlines, elites need to be understood in the context of the social groups from which they emerged, and with which they continue to interact. This is a sophisticated framework of analysis, which acknowledges both Zimbabwean exceptionalism and the similarities of transformative change across the continent.

Constructing and contesting City of London power: NGOs and the emergence of noisier financial politics

Existing literature on the City of London has tended to focus on its ‘structural power’, while neglecting political and narrative agency. This paper acts as a corrective by presenting evidence to show that since the financial crash of 2008 the political terrain the City operates on has become more contested, crowded and noisier. The contribution develops a middle course between a positive assessment of the role of civil society in relation to global finance, and a more pessimistic reading. We demonstrate how macro-narratives and public story-telling both construct and contest City and financial sector power. In a new pattern since the financial crash, NGOs have moved from campaigns of limited duration and narrow focus, to a more sustained presence on macro-structural issues. Adopting a supply–demand framework for assessing governance and regulatory change, we look at the emergence of TheCityUK as a new advocacy arm and the strategies of three of the more prominent and focused NGOs that have mobilized in the aftermath of the crash: the Tax Justice Network’s (TJN) use of the ‘finance curse’; Positive Money on private endogenous money creation; and Finance Watch counterweight strategies at the level of the European Union. We suggest these mobilizations highlight the need for a more concerted and orchestrated construction of a global institutional civil society infrastructure in finance (a global financial public sphere) to achieve greater access, resources, scrutiny and oversight for a range of specialist expert NGOs.

Моделі громадянського суспільства: проблема взаємовідносин людини та держави

Моделі громадянського суспільства: проблема взаємовідносин людини та держави

Housing First and the Reassembling of Permanent Supportive Housing: The Limits and Opportunities of Private Rental

Third sector agencies have played a central role in the social innovation of permanent supportive housing following deinstitutionalization and the emergence of a choice-based regime. This paper traces the reassembling and translation of permanent supportive housing that gained particular saliency through the globalised Housing First movement and the reassembling of private rental as a form of permanent supportive housing. Drawing on the concept of transformative social practices informed by resilience and assemblage thinking, we add new insights to existing literature by re-examining why agencies and models followed divergent paths and the resulting implications this has had in the quest to end homelessness. We argue that the failure to effectively implement such models according to a narrowly defined prescription of Housing First does not just stem from a lack of affordable housing but must be understood in the historically contested space of how affordable housing and support should be provided that is translated through the market, state and civil society relations assembled across time and place. Drawing on cases from Belgium, United States and Australia, it is concluded that evolutionary resilient social innovation in private rental PSH necessitate increased and ongoing engagement rather than a retreat of the State.