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This open access book focuses on the role of civil society in the creation, dissemination, and interpretation of knowledge in geographical contexts. It offers original, interdisciplinary and counterintuitive perspectives on civil society. The book includes reflections on civil and uncivil society, the role of civil society as a change agent, and on civil society perspectives of undone science. Conceptual approaches go beyond the tripartite division of public, private and civic sectors to propose new frameworks of civic networks and philanthropic fields, which take an inclusive view of the connectivity of civic agency across sectors. This includes relational analyses of epistemic power in civic knowledge networks as well as of regional giving and philanthropy. The original empirical case studies examine traditional forms of civic engagement, such as the German landwomen's associations, as well as novel types of organizations, such as giving circles and time banks in their geographical context. The book also offers insider reflections on doing civil society, such as the cases of the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, epistemic activism in the United States, and the #FeesMustFall movement in South Africa.

"From food banks to migrant welcome committees, and community organisers to internet based campaigners, civil society is central to the North Atlantic social landscape. Theology and Civil Society advances our understanding of what civil society is and offers a theologically informed re-imagining of our shared social life. Prefaced by a foreword by the Rev. Dr Rowan Williams, this book explores contemporary manifestations of the kind of collective action observed in civil society since the 1800s. It then examines civil society as the sum of modern associations which mediate our relationships to the market and the state, but which cannot be identified fully with either the market or the state. Finally, three different perspectives on civil society are presented using insights from theologians such as John Milbank and Georg Hegel. This is a pertinent topic for contemporary society, and it is explored expertly here by an international panel of contributors. As such, it is an important volume for any scholar of Theology and Religious Studies and their interactions with Sociology and Politics."--Provided by publisher.

Since the fall of communism in 1989 Southeast Europe has been a site of far-reaching societal transformation, much of it marked by political crisis, economic upheaval, ethnic tension, and bitter war. The book comprises articles investigating the history and development of civil society in post-communist Southeast Europe. How is civil society to be grasped, what are the historical factors shaping the civil societies of the region?, what is the function of civil society in the transition to democracy and a market-economy?, and what are the prospects for the future development of the civil societies of the region in an age of globalization?, -these are just a few of the major questions addressed in this collection of articles. Many of the authors are social scientists, philosophers, and activists from the region, offering first-hand critical analysis of the state of civil society in Southeast Europe and suggesting theoretical and practical strategies for the future course of its development. The aim is to provide the reader with insight into the complex challenges that face the civil societies of the region

State, civil society, and classical liberalism /Steven Scalet and David Schmidtz --Classical liberalism and civil society : definitions, history, and relations /Tom G. Palmer --Civil society and government : a liberal-egalitarian perspective /Will Kymlicka --Liberal egalitarianism : a family of theories, not a single view /William A. Galston --Critical theory perspective on civil society and the state /Kenneth Baynes --Skeptics at the celebration : civil society and the early Frankfurt School /Stephen K. White --Feminist perspectives on civil society and government /Nancy L. Rosenblum --Comment on Nancy Rosenblum's "Feminist Perspectives on Civil Society and Government" /Susan Moller Okin --Natural law, civil society, and government /Fred D. Miller, Jr. --Natural law : a response /William M. Sullivan --Limited state and a vibrant society : Christianity and civil society /John A. Coleman --Christianity, civil society, and the state : a Protestant response /Max L. Stackhouse --Civil society and government : seeking Judaic insights /Noam J. Zohar --Response to Noam Zohar /David Biale --Civil society and government in Islam /John Kelsay --Perspectives on Islam and civil society /Farhad Kazemi.

Are young people blindly self-interested? How does university shape students' political participation? Can busy parents and grandparents find time to volunteer? Challenging conventional thinking, leading academics explore how individuals' relationships with civil society change over time as different lifecourse events and stages trigger and hinder civic engagement. Drawing on personal narratives, longitudinal cohort studies and national surveys, this unprecedented study considers rarely examined aspects of civic engagement including school students' sense of social responsibility and the charitable legacy bequests of elderly people and highlights significant implications for those promoting greater civic and political participation.

What is the relevance of civil society to people empowerment, effective governance, and deepening democracy? This book addresses this question by examining the activities and public participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the areas of religion, ethnicity, gender and the environment. Examples are taken from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. State regimes' attempts to co-opt the concept or reject it as alien to "Asian values" have apparently not turned out as expected. This is evident from the fact that many Southeast Asian citizens are inspired by the civil society concept and now engage in public discourse and participation. The experience of civil society in Southeast Asia shows that its impact -- or lack of impact -- on democratization and democracy depends on a variety of factors not only within civil society itself, but also within the state

Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of tables -- Preface and acknowledgments -- Note on transliteration and terminology -- List of abbreviations -- Map -- 1 Civil society in comparative perspective -- Western civil society -- Civil society in the Arab world -- African civil society -- Activism and civil society in Yemen -- 2 Twentieth-century states and economies -- Colonialism, tradition, and revolution -- State institutions and state sectors in two Yemeni republics -- The oil industry and the fall of the iron curtain -- Unity and discord in the Republic of Yemen -- 3 Islam, tribes, and social services -- Institutions of community and tribute -- Capital, philanthropy, and endowment -- Cooperation and mutual aid -- Latter-day community betterment projects -- 4 Colonialism, activism, and resistance -- Elections and formal political participation -- Urban clubs and associations -- Unions and the Aden Trades Union Congress -- Rural activism -- Nationalist and pan-Arab parties -- The press -- Episodic meetings and appeals -- Revolution and consolidation -- 5 Self-help, social capital, and state power -- Yemeni LDAs from a comparative development perspective -- Self-help and local traditions -- Legislative basis of the LDAs -- Civic initiative and central response -- Social services and societal transformation -- The centralization of cooperation -- 6 Unity, pluralism, and political participation -- Liberalizing legislation -- Party pluralism and electoral competition -- Mass media and the press -- Quasi-governmental and private voluntary associations -- The conference mode of participation -- 7 Civic responses to political crisis -- Governmental power struggles -- The national dialogue of political forces -- The expression of public opinion -- The civil war and its aftermath -- The 1997 elections -- Contending forces