The State and Civil Society

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Bolleyer
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Public Benefit ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Voluntary Membership

State regulation of civil society organizations such as interest groups, parties, and public benefit organizations is expanding yet widely contested, often portrayed as illegitimate intrusion. Despite ongoing debates about the nature of state–voluntary relations in various social science disciplines, we know surprisingly little about why long-lived democracies adopt more or less constraining legal approaches in this sphere. Drawing on insights from political science, sociology, and comparative law as well as public administration research, this book addresses this important question, conceptually, theoretically, and empirically. It addresses the conceptual and methodological challenges related to developing systematic, comparative insights into the nature of complex legal environments affecting voluntary membership organizations, by simultaneously covering a wide range of democracies and the regulation applicable to different types of voluntary organizations. Proposing the analytical tools to tackle those challenges, it studies in depth the intertwined and overlapping legal environments of political parties, interest groups, and public benefit organizations across nineteen long-lived democracies. After presenting an innovative interdisciplinary theoretical framework theorizing democratic states’ legal disposition or disinclination to regulate voluntary membership organizations in a constraining or permissive fashion, this framework is empirically tested. Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the comparative analysis identifies three main ‘paths’ accounting for the relative constraints in the legal environments democracies have created for organized civil society, defined by different configurations of political systems’ democratic history, their legal family, and voluntary sector traditions. Providing the foundation for a mixed-methods design, three ideal-typical representatives of each path—Sweden, the UK, and France—are selected for the in-depth study of these legal environments’ long-term evolution, to capture reform dynamics and their drivers that have shaped group and party regulation over many decades.

scholarly journals Self-maintenance vs. goal attainment: drivers of mortality anxiety in organized civil society

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Bolleyer ◽  
Patricia Correa
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Goal Attainment ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Organizational Infrastructure ◽  
Voluntary Membership ◽  
Active Interest ◽  
Service Oriented ◽  
The Uk

AbstractWhen do membership-based civil society organizations such as interest groups, political parties or service-oriented organizations consider their existence under threat? Distinguishing pressures of organizational self-maintenance from functional pressures of goal attainment, which all voluntary membership organizations – irrespective of their political or societal functions - need to reconcile, we propose a framework theorizing distinct categories of drivers of mortality anxiety in organized civil society. To test our hypotheses, we apply ordered logistic regression analysis to new data covering regionally and nationally active interest groups, service-oriented organizations and parties in Germany, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. We find that factors enhancing intraorganizational resilience thereby facilitating self-maintenance as well as exposure to different representation challenges complicating goal attainment have significant effects on mortality anxiety experienced by interest groups, political parties and service-oriented organizations alike – the former reducing, the latter enhancing it. Stressing the importance of a stable, durable organizational infrastructure with loyal and involved members to operate in increasingly volatile and diverse environments, our findings highlight the on-going importance of ‘traditional’ (sometimes considered ‘outdated’) organization-building.

scholarly journals The Legal Environments of Organized Civil Society in Nineteen Democracies

2018 ◽  
pp. 192-230
Author(s):  
Nicole Bolleyer
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Voluntary Sector ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Complex Processes ◽  
Systemic Condition

As the nature of legal environments for organized civil society is the product of causally complex processes, it is not expected that any one systemic condition by itself underpins a particular legal environment. Consequently, the analysis presented employs Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), which is ideally suited to identify multiple, complex paths towards a particular outcome. The findings widely substantiate the theoretical framework presented in Chapter 6 and thereby stress the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the question at hand. They show that the nature of voluntary organizations’ legal environments adopted in long-lived democracies varies with the relative acceptability of constraining regulation in that sphere, which, in turn, is shaped by distinct configurations of political systems’ democratic history, their legal family, and voluntary sector traditions.

The Legal Regulation of Organized Civil Society

2018 ◽  
pp. 3-32
Author(s):  
Nicole Bolleyer
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
State Intervention ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Public Benefit ◽  
National Studies ◽  
Cross National

This introduction specifies the central questions addressed in this study—namely, what are the legal environments (as constituted by binding legal regulation) that have been created in long-lived democracies to steer the behaviour of membership-based, voluntary organizations—interest groups, parties, and public benefit organizations—that constitute organized civil society? And why do democracies adopt more or less constraining regulation in this sphere, in which state intervention is generally considered contentious? Having done so, it addresses three fundamental issues stressing the importance of these themes: first, why bother writing a book-length study on the legal regulation of voluntary organizations in particular? Second, why not focus on one particular type of organization (for example, interest groups or parties), as earlier cross-national studies have done? And, finally, what do we gain substantially and analytically by comparing the nature of legal regulation not only across a variety of countries but also across distinct organizational types and why focus on the three types of interest groups, parties, and public benefit organizations and not others?

scholarly journals Reflections on the Relationship between the Government and Civil Society Organizations during the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Israeli Case

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillel Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Health Economic ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Strategic Behavior ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Power Dependence ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The paper analyzes the relations between the government and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel. The paper presents the inconsistent policy of the government, which has been influenced by various interest groups and the very limited financial support allocated to CSOs during the health, economic and social crisis. The paper describes the government’s alienated attitude toward the CSOs as well as the reasons for that behavior. Special attention is devoted to the government’s misunderstanding of the mission and roles of CSOs in modern society, especially at times of crisis and national disasters. The paper also analyzes the organizational and strategic behavior of CSOs toward the government, which has also contributed to the alienated attitude of the government toward them. I argue that relations between CSOs and the government should be based on more trust, mutuality, and understanding on the part of both actors in order to change power-dependence relations, and that there is a need to establish more cross-sectoral partnerships for the benefit of citizens.

Kleine deeltjes, grote kwesties

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucien Hanssen ◽  
Tim Vos ◽  
Maartje Langeslag ◽  
Bart Walhout
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Small Particles ◽  
Academic Organizations ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
National Debate ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Social And Ethical Issues ◽  
Issue Analysis

Small particles, big issues. An issue analysis of the Dutch national dialogue nanotechnology Small particles, big issues. An issue analysis of the Dutch national dialogue nanotechnology In 2010 the Dutch government sponsored a national dialogue on nanotechnology. A wide range of activities was organised to bring scientific and societal views into this national debate. Issue analysis showed that risk issues concerning health and environment got most attention. Good legislation and ethical motives also came up as prominent topics in discussions. Next to issue analysis, we analysed the type of organizations that orchestrated the different projects and we looked at possibilities to bring in public voices. It turned out that there is no difference in public outreach or involvement among professional media, civil society, or academic organizations. Civil society organizations often set social and ethical issues on the agenda. Due to a lack of capacity and expertise their actual participation in dialogue projects was limited. To strengthen a more robust societal perspective in further national dialogues one could invest in capacity building for civil society organisations.

scholarly journals International NGOs

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa McIntosh Sundstrom
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Nonprofit Organizations ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Social Movement Organizations ◽  
Transnational Advocacy ◽  
Transnational Advocacy Networks ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
International Ngos ◽  
Transnational Civil Society

International nongovernmental organizations (NGOs or INGOs) are studied from a wide range of academic disciplinary perspectives, and the perspectives and literature are diverse and growing rapidly. This article approaches the topic from a political science perspective and, in particular, from the perspective of the international relations field in political science. It also includes a range of sources from helpful instructional readings to more sophisticated works that have been influential among scholars in the field. The list incorporates both some of the newest work of theoretical and empirical importance and older works that have been important to the development of this topic of study. The scholars who study international NGOs use a variety of conceptual categories for their analysis. Hence, anyone searching for literature on this topic will find fruitful results by searching for a number of terms, including, for example: “transnational civil society,” “transnational advocacy networks,” “transnational social movements,” and “global civil society.” NGOs are also variously called “civil society organizations,” “social movement organizations,” or “nonprofit organizations.” In European literature they are often discussed as “interest groups.”

scholarly journals Civil Society Organizations and Global Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-152
Author(s):  
Soma Hewa
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Rockefeller Foundation ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Epidemic Disease ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Public Health Strategies

Civil society organizations are playing a vital role in capacity building at the grassroots level around the world. Rockefeller philanthropy pioneered this civic responsibility, both at home and abroad, in controlling epidemic disease and developing public health. Since its inception in 1913, the Rockefeller Foundation had been involved in a wide range of public health programs in Sri Lanka (previously known as Ceylon), which was regarded as the key to the Foundation’s activities in Asia. Rockefeller philanthropy arrived in Sri Lanka during the European colonial rule in the early twentieth century and received a hostile reception from the colonial administration. The Foundation’s officials acted cautiously and listened to local citizens in developing public health strategies. Such efforts succeeded not only in combating disease and promoting health, but also achieving sustained community support. This paper is a critical inquiry of the program and its role in the development of a modern public health network in Sri Lanka.

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs) PARTICIPATION IN POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ON POVERTY REDUCTION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIA AND GHANA

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-149
Author(s):  
Omoniyi Ajulor ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Policy Decisions ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
The Government

The paper examines the people’s perceptions of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) participation in policy implementation on poverty reduction: A comparative analysis of Nigeria and Ghana. This interrogation is necessary in order to improve the performance of CSOs and participate in the poverty reduction policies in Nigeria by borrowing a leave from Ghana. For proper analysis, key informant interview was carried out and relevant literatures were also reviewed. The paper revealed that efforts have been made by the CSOs to influence government policies on poverty reduction in Nigeria and Ghana for the benefit of the people but Ghana has made more progress. Despite poverty level has decreased in both countries; there is still much suffering in their rural areas. It is worst in Nigeria because of corruption, insurgencies and economic recession. The CSOs in both countries faced repressions and manipulation over the years. From 1990s Ghana CSOs enjoyed symbolic relationship with the state while its Nigeria counterpart struggle for space. The paper recommends that there is need for the governments in both countries to do more by ensuring CSOs participation in policy decisions on poverty reduction. The Nigeria government should borrow a leave from Ghana on building more relationship and partnership with CSOs on policies on poverty reduction. There should be collaborations and consultations between the government and the “major groups” at local levels on policy issues. The CSOs and the target beneficiary should be allowed to take joint ownership of policy decisions, processes and implementation to ensure accountability and transparency in order to reduce poverty in Nigeria and Ghana especially in their rural areas.

scholarly journals Member Influence and Involvement in Civil Society Organizations: A Resource Dependency Perspective on Groups and Parties

2020 ◽  
pp. 003232172096801
Author(s):  
Nicole Bolleyer ◽  
Patricia Correa
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Resource Dependency ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Dependency Theory ◽  
Organizational Decision Making ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Service Oriented ◽  
Member Involvement ◽  
Positive Effect

Which membership-based voluntary organizations constitutive of civil society such as parties, interest groups or service-oriented organizations keep their members active and which forms of activism do they cultivate? This article addresses this important question distinguishing two forms of ‘member activism’: ‘member involvement’, defined as members working for an organization, and ‘member influence’, defined as members’ participation in intra-organizational decision-making. Building on incentive-theoretical approaches to leader–member relations and resource dependency theory, we present a theoretical framework specifying distinct drivers of each form of member activism, which is tested using new data from four organization surveys conducted in four most different European democracies. None of the theorized factors has the same robust effect on both involvement and influence. Most notably, professionalization – reliance on paid staff – has a positive effect on involvement and a negative one on influence, stressing the need to distinguish carefully the different roles members play in civil society organizations.

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