Civil Society Endangered

Nelson, Daniel Ν.

doi:10.1007/978-1-349-14511-9_7

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Our focus on political discourse is related, but not identical, to discussions of civil society. Although we concur with Ekiert (1991) that a lack of definitional clarity plagues research on civil society, the strength of nonpolitical groups and associations has emerged as a dominant operational definition of the civic community (e.g., Brehm & Rahn, 1997;Nelson, 1996;Putnam, 1993Putnam, , 1995aPutnam, , 1995b. In Italy, for example, Putnam (1993) argued that the relative success of democracy in the North hinges largely on the prevalence of networks of civic engagement embodied in various groups and associations.…”

supporting

confidence: 59%

“…It is essential that progress be made in determining which factors function as the greatest impediments to social interaction (see also Nelson, 1996). Without additional evidence on this point, it will be difficult to put findings such as those reported here in perspective.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…This point is of particular significance in transitional states where respect for democratic principles and practices is not yet deeply established. Consequently, some analysts (e.g., Nelson, 1996) have warned that impediments to civic engagement in post-communist Central and Eastern Europe threaten the legitimacy, and thus the systemic survival, of democratic governance. Although we are far from willing to pronounce the demise of the democratic transition, we do propose that the possible existence of atomized polities constitutes a severe and immediate threat.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Civic Engagement in a Post‐Communist State

Mondak

Gearing

1998

Political Psychology

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During the communist era, numerous social and political constraints limited civic engagement in communities throughout Central and Eastern Europe. This paper explores whether such constraints have left lasting marks, and whether such lingering effects potentially slow the process of democratization. Three specific questions were explored: (1) whether civic engagement in a post-communist state differs from that in an established Western democracy; (2) whether the quality of social perception suffers when civic engagement is constrained; and (3) whether a link exists between civic engagement and tangible forms of political judgment. Data were analyzed from surveys conducted in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in 1994 and in South Bend, Indiana, in 1984. Compared with South Bend residents, the people of Cluj-Napoca discuss politics less, engage in interactive forms of political participation at lower rates, know less about their neighbors, and fail to link the interests of people in the community to broader political judgments. Given the centrality of civic engagement to democratic legitimacy, these findings justify concern regarding the prospects for full democratization in Central and Eastern European contexts in which social interaction does not yet flourish.KEY WORDS: civic engagement; political discussion; Romania; social capital In 1989, the nations of Central and Eastern Europe took such bold steps toward democracy that the transition from communist rule seemed tantalizingly simple. However, to depict democratization as anything less than a complex, multidimensional process is to vastly understate the obstacles present in post-communist states. At minimum, the requirements for a successful transition include the existence of appropriate institutional structures, the rise to power of leaders who truly embrace

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supporting

confidence: 59%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Civic Engagement in a Post‐Communist State

Mondak

Gearing

1998

Political Psychology

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“…Postsocialist citizens seem to be disillusioned with public life: turnouts at elections are low, and participation in voluntary associations is uncommon (Nelson, 1996). Numerous studies have shown that there is a declining trend in voluntary activism in established democracies as well (Putnam, 1993;Skocpol, 2003), but participation in voluntary associations in Eastern Europe is considerably below the levels of the US and Western Europe (Curtis, Grabb, & Baer, 1992;Letki, 2003).…”

Section: Domestic Integration In the Civic Fieldmentioning

confidence: 97%

Rooted transnational publics: Integrating foreign ties and civic activism

2006

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Can civic organizations be both locally rooted and globally connected? Based on a survey of 1,002 of the largest civic organizations in Hungary, we conclude that there is not a forced choice between foreign ties and domestic integration. By studying variation in types of foreign interactions and variation in types of domestic integration, our analysis goes beyond notions of footloose experts versus rooted cosmopolitans. Organizations differ in their rootedness according to whether they have ties to their members and constituents, whether they have ties to other organizations in the civic sector, and whether they associate with actors from outside the civic sector. Similarly, we specify different types of foreign ties. In both domains our emphasis is on the type of action involved in the tie-especially relations of accountability and partnership. By demonstrating a systematic relationship between the patterns of foreign ties and the patterns of domestic integration, we chart three emerging forms of transnational publics.Can civic organizations be both locally rooted and globally connected? A prominent theme in the literature on social movements, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and civic organizations more generally points to warning signs about the potential negative effects of transnationalization. According to that view, international ties come at the expense of local integration. For some authors, the sources of disintegration are located in changes in the internal structure of the organizations whereby transnationalized organizations become professionalized, bureaucratized, and commercialized, with the potential consequence of the de-radicalization of the organizations (Rucht, 1999: 218). For others, the negative effects of transnationalization result from accompanying changes in the relationship between the Theor Soc (2006) 35: 323-349

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“…"Scholars note that an active civil society is thought to play a pivotal role in not only opening democratic transitions, but also providing civic education and strengthening these democratic values which lead to consolidation (Diamond 1994;Linz and Stepan 1996). Many scholars worry that democratic consolidation may suffer when civil society is weakened (Arato and Cohen 1992;Nelson 1996 Putnam (1993), regions in Italy having high levels of voluntary associations have greater levels of social trust, there are more citizens who read newspapers, are interested in public affairs, and believe other citizens will act fairly and obey the law, as compared to regions lacking high levels of civic group memberships and strong social networks. He has extended these findings to the United…”

Section: ⅰ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Consolidation

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2006

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Civil Society Endangered

Cited by 16 publications

References 6 publications

Civic Engagement in a Post‐Communist State

Civic Engagement in a Post‐Communist State

Rooted transnational publics: Integrating foreign ties and civic activism

Towards Consolidation

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