Civil Society
- NINT 5176 - Civil Society (Spring 2008)
Tuesday 8.00pm - 9.50pm
NGOs are widely acknowledged as having a crucial role in our globalized world. However, this work has not gone without conflict or controversy. The purpose of this course is to address the role of NGOs and a number of accompanying questions, including: How did global civil society become the solution to the democratic deficit of globalization? Has it been a responsible, practical and accountable solution? What are the dynamics of NGO interventions? Who are they accountable to? Who should they represent? We will discuss how civil society organizations became innovators in political, social and economic development, the roles these organizations play as they affect and are affected by democratization, war and the shifting patterns of national and global governance, and how the perception of dissimilar global agendas is creating different expectations and visions of civil society.
Special attention will be given to NGOs that work in governance issues (democracy promotion, development, human rights) in contemporary conflict and post-conflict areas. Two guest speakers—both with vast practical experience in Africa, the Middle East and the Caucus—will run a seminar during the semester.
Concentration:Governance and Rights