Many scholars think that because of its ambiguous nature the definition of the civil society concept sometimes is … meaningless. Civil society belongs to a group of sociological and political theory concepts such as freedom, justice, equality and … democracy that are not clearly demarcated. At least two specific dimensions of the civil society concept are distinguishable …

two reasons: civil society presumably helps governments reach more effective and democratic agreements by providing … information and legitimacy. Yet, there are reasons to doubt civil society's capacity to fulfill these two functions. Many non …

most frequently proposed remedies, in this context, is greater involvement of civil society. Many academics and policy … provide knowledge to enhance problem-solving capacity. Skeptics challenge this claim, noting that civil society organizations … society involvement affects public support for global environmental governance. We report on three survey experiments focusing …

Civil society is commonly assumed to have a positive effect on international cooperation. This paper sheds light on one … on a “democracy-civil society paradox”: although ENGOs have a positive effect on ratification of IEAs on average, this … democracy is generally associated both with a more active civil society and more international cooperation. The reasons for this …

This article discusses the 'associational democratic' model of relationship between state and civil society …

The food, environmental and economic crises have challenged civil society organizations (CSOs) and the communities they … Civil Society Steering Committee, was undertaken in 2009 that measured the impact of the crises on the operating capacity of … CSOs around the world and their expectations as they look ahead. This study examines the current situation of CSOs as …

hopes and empirical reality. Using new data from civil society engagements with the World Bank, this book shows how … have looked to transnational civil society as a means of remediation. Yet a clear gap has begun to emerge between normative … transnational civil society organizations prioritize pre-existing mission over responsiveness to claimed stakeholders, undertake …