Learning for the Future : Transnational Civil Society Actors as Contributors to Social Learning in Transnational Problem Domains

Civil society actors are increasingly important players in transnational governance focused on a variety of problem-solving issues. This article explores the roles of transnational civil society organizations and networks in transnational social learning, and the nature of problem domains in which they can be expected to make special contributions. It begins with an investigation into social learning within problem domains and into the ways in which such domain learning builds perspectives and capacities for effective action among domain organizations and institutions. It suggests that domain learning involves problem definition, direction setting, implementation of collective action and performance monitoring. Transnational civil society actors appear to take five roles in such domain learning processes: (1) identifying issues, (2) facilitating voice of marginalized stakeholders, (3) amplifying the importance of issues, (4) building bridges among diverse stakeholders, and (5) monitoring and assessing solutions. On the basis of these roles, the paper explores the nature of circumstances in which transnational civil society actors can be expected to play important roles in social learning in important problem domains in the future