Civil Society: History and Possibilities

by Sudipta Kaviraj, Sunil Khilnani

Overview

Civil Society is one of the most used—and abused—concepts in current political thinking. Fifteen leading scholars clarify the theoretical meanings of the concept as well as consider the different historical contexts in which it has been used outside the West. The volume is divided into two parts: the first section analyzes the meaning of civil society in different theoretical traditions of Western philosophy. In the second section, contributors consider the theoretical and practical contexts in which this idea has been invoked in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521002905
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/06/2001
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	6.06(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.91(d)

Table of Contents

Part I. Theoretical Traditions in the West: 1. The development of civil society Sunil Khilnani; 2. Concepts of civil society in pre-modern Europe Anthony Black; 3. The contemporary political significance of John Locke's conception of civil society John Dunn; 4. Civil society in the Scottish Enlightenment Fania Oz Salzberger; 5. Enlightenment and the institution of society Keith Michael Baker; 6. Hegel and the economics of civil society Gareth Stedman Jones; 7. Civil society in the Marxist tradition Joseph Femia; Part II. Arguments in the South: 8. Civil society in extra-European perspective Jack Goody; 9. On civil and political societies in post-colonial democracies Partha Chatterjee; 10. Civil society and the fate of the modern Republic in Latin America Luis Castro Leiva and Anthony Pagden; 11. The western concept of civil society in the context of Chinese history Thomas Metzger; 12. Civil society, community and democracy in the Middle East Sami Zubaida; 13. Mistaking 'Governance' for politics: Foreign aid, civil society and democracy Rob Jenkins; 14. The promise of 'civil society' in the South Geoffrey Hawthorn; 15. In search of civil society Sudipta Kaviraj.

Editorial Reviews

'… this collection is unusually coherent in plan and consistent in quality. The editors have assembled an excellent group of authors.' The Times Higher Education Supplement

'The book is notable also in bringing together a highly distinguished array of contributors.' Contemporary Political Theory

From the Publisher