Nina Witoszek, et al.: Civil Society in the Age of Monitory Democracy

Editors: Lars Tragårdh, Nina Witoszek and Bron Taylor. Publisher: Berghahn Books

About the Book:

Since the emergence of the dissident "parallel polis" in Eastern Europe, civil society has become a "new superpower," influencing democratic transformations, human rights, and international co-operation; co-designing economic trends, security and defense; reshaping the information society; and generating new ideas on the environment, health, and the "good life." This volume seeks to compare and reassess the role of civil society in the rich West, the poorer South, and the quickly expanding East in the context of the twenty-first century's challenges. It presents a novel perspective on civic movements testing John Keane's notion of "monitory democracy:" an emerging order of public scrutiny and monitoring of power. To what extent does the monitory function of civil society ensure a political, cultural and economic innovation for a more sustainable future? In what ways are the mushrooming civic organizations a secret sharer of the states and industries' machinations?

Introduction Lars Tragardh and Nina Witoszek Chapter 1. The Dawn of Monitory Democracy John Keane Chapter 2. Civil Society in the Age of Crisis John Clark Chapter 3. Digital Deprivation: New Media, Civil Society and Sustainability Paddy Coulter and Cathy Baldwin Chapter 4. "Monitory" versus "Managed" Democracy: Does Civil Society Matter in Contemporary Russia? Kathryn Stoner-Weiss Chapter 5. Monitory Democracy and Ecological Civilization in the People's Republic of China James Miller Chapter 6. Tenuous Spaces: Civil Society in Burma/Myanmar David Steinberg Chapter 7. Kenya's Green Belt Movement: Contributions, Conflict, Contradictions, and Complications in a Prominent ENGO Bron Taylor Chapter 8. A New Direction in Transnational Civil Society: The Politics of Muslim NGO Coalitions Zeynep Atalay Chapter 9. Anti-Totalitarian Feminism? Civic Resistance in Iran Nina Witoszek and Haideh Daragahi Chapter 10. Associative Democracy in the Swedish Welfare State Lars Tragardh Chapter 11. State Capture of Civil Society: Effects of Patronage in the Norwegian Aid Industry Asle Toje Chapter 12. Civil Society as a Driver of Governance Innovation: A Montesquieu Perspective Atle Midttun Chapter 13. Afterword: An Ounce of Action is Worth a Ton of Theory Bill McKibben prefaced by Nina Witoszek and Lars Tragardh Bibliography Index

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Published Sep. 27, 2013 11:58 AM - Last modified Sep. 27, 2013 11:58 AM