Civil Society Organizations

The term civil society has a range of meanings in contemporary usage. It is sometimes considered to include the family and the private sphere, and referred to as the “third sector” of society, distinct from government and business. Civil society can be defined as: (1) the aggregate of non- governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens, or (2) individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government. As per Collins English Dictionary, sometimes the term is used in the more general sense of “the elements such as freedom of speech, an independent judiciary, etc., that makes up a democratic society”. Volunteering is often considered a defining characteristic of the organizations that constitute civil society, which in turn are often called NGOs (non-government organization), or NPOs (non-profit organization). Most authorities have in mind the realm of public participation in voluntary associations, trade unions and the like, but it is not necessary to belong to all of these to be a part of civil society.

Societies that have a strong civil society may have a tendency to experience higher levels of political representation, enabling collective groups to resist unpopular state policies and apply pressure on state institutions when they find they have erred. In fact associational types of civil society may be recognized as a formidable component that provides an alternative source of governance through the process of subsidiarity. Warren’s work implies that strong associations have indirect effects on institutions, primarily by challenging the state through vocal opposition or other sources of collective movements aimed at infl uencing the state to change its public policy course. Civil society groups can provide better social services than the state is capable of, and sometimes can even have a more efficient way of mitigating social exigencies.

 

Readings

Shaw, R., & Izumi, T. (Eds.). (2014). Civil Society Organization and Disaster Risk Reduction: The Asian Dilemma. Springer.

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