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Edited by Kees Biekart, Associate Professor of Political Sociology, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Alan Fowler, Honorary Professor of African Philanthropy and Social Investment, University of Witwatersrand Business School, South Africa<i>‘</i>A Research Agenda for Civil Society<i> provides a much needed synopsis of the antecedents, internal contradictions, and promises of civil society within a comparative African-Global Southern Context. At a time of pervasive political and epistemological uncertainty, the book throws precious critical light on a subject of increasing academic and policy relevance.’</i>
- Ebenezer Obadare, Council on Foreign Relations, US,
<i>‘This book represents an important effort to diversify our thinking about civil society and challenge common assumptions about its processes, constituent parts, and effects. It will be an essential addition to university libraries and courses worldwide.’</i>
- Michael Edwards, writer and activist, UK,
Mapping a wide range of civil society research perspectives, this pioneering Research Agenda offers a rich and clear insight for academics and practitioners hoping to embark on future civil society research. Kees Biekart and Alan Fowler bring together over 20 expert contributions from researchers across the globe who are actively engaged in testing the old and generating new knowledge about civil society.
Beginning with a concise historical review of civil society research over the last four decades, the book provides a critical insight into the future of research, taking into account the domestic outcomes of major geopolitical changes and the increasing shift towards authoritarian and populist systems of governance. Exploring the norms and values of civil society, as well as key topics such as voluntourism, civil society mapping, democratization, and civic agency, chapters offer a unique overview of civil society research themes and agendas. Its comprehensive analysis of canonical civil society research provides a fertile basis from which novel research can be conducted.
A wide audience of development professionals, including NGO staff, consultants, evaluators, and public servants, will benefit from the forward-looking perspectives advanced in this dynamic Research Agenda. It will also be an essential resource for academics and researchers in the field.