scholarly journals Spatial imaginaries and selective in/visibility: Mediterranean neighbourhood and the European Union’s engagement with civil society after the ‘Arab Spring’

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Joachim Bürkner ◽  
James W Scott
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Southern Mediterranean ◽  
Social Modernization ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Civil Societies

As part of a repertoire of the European Union’s (EU’s) geopolitical practices, the imaginary of Mediterranean Neighbourhood is a means with which to manage dissonance between the EU’s self-image as a normative power, changing political situations in the region and the Realpolitik of security. We argue that this also involved a ‘politics of in/visibility’ that promotes democratization and social modernization through structured cooperation while engaging selectively with local stakeholders. In directing attention to EU readings of and responses to the ‘Arab Spring’, we indicate how both a simplification of the issues at stake and highly selective political framings of local civil societies have operated in tandem. Drawing on a review of recent literature on civil society activism in the southern Mediterranean, we specifically deal with Eurocentric appropriations of civil society as a force for change and as a central element in the construction of the Mediterranean Neighbourhood. EU support for South Mediterranean civil society appears to be targeted at specific actors with whom the EU deems it can work: apart from national elites these include well-established, professionalized non-governmental organizations, and westernized elements of national civil societies. As a result, recognition of the heterogeneous and multilocal nature of the uprisings, as well as their causes, has only marginally translated into serious European Neighbourhood Policy reform. We suggest that an inclusive focus on civil society would reveal Neighbourhood as a contact zone and dialogic space, rather than a project upon which the EU is (rather unsuccessfully) attempting to superimpose a unifying narrative of EU-led modernization.

Organizing without organizations: on informal social activism in Poland

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 662-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominika Vergara Polanska ◽  
Galia Chimiak
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Social Activism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Activists ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Civil Societies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine motivations of social activists in informal initiatives and to understand why they opt for this more spontaneous and self-organized activism while openly defying the hitherto established way of founding non-governmental organizations. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of a case study of Poland, which had one of the most vibrant civil societies in the socialist region, it is argued that the characteristics ascribed to the functioning of civil society after the toppling of socialism are not reflected in its more recent state. A broader definition of civil society and social activism is suggested to include new types of informal activism, which tend to be over-looked and under-studied. The analysis is built on qualitative and quantitative data gathered in 2014-2015. Findings The argument put forward is that un-institutionalized engagement is qualitatively different from its formal and institutionalized counterpart. The recent growth of informal activism is indicative of a rebirth of communitarian engagement in Polish civil society and a reaction to the underside of its institutionalization. Originality/value In spite of the seminal role played by societal self-organization in the overturning of the socialist system in Eastern European countries, the development of civil society in the region after 1989 has been repeatedly described as passive and characterized by distrustful or individualist attitudes. However, these civil societies have been changing since, and these more recent developments have been neglected by scholars.

scholarly journals The EU Democratisation of The Southern Neighbours Since the “Arab Spring”: An Inherently Inadequate Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-103
Author(s):  
Naim Mathlouthi
Keyword(s):  
Arab Spring ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Double Standards ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Arab Uprisings ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Southern Mediterranean ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
Substantial Change ◽  
The Eu

This Article draws on the analysis of historical relations between the European Union and the Southern Mediterranean countries and highlights the main initiatives and consequences of the adopted practices of democratisation in the region following the Arab Uprisings. The main focus is on the continuity and limited changes in the new approach. One of the main findings is that the limited reform of the EU approach primarily resulted from the inherited political constraints. The net result was a set of structured security-orientated relationships that will continue to repeat earlier mistakes before 2011. The mechanisms of democracy promotion including conditionality remained inherently full of contradictions. The double standards in applying the conditionality principle  in addition to the lack of significant leverage rendered the EU democratisation approach of the Southern neighbours inapt. Despite the  2011 ENP review promise of a substantial change in the EU democratisation approach, it seems that the EU’s initial euphoria following the “Arab spring” has waned as it  seems to repeat the same old approach  of  liberalisation and securitisation of the  Southern Mediterranean region rather than democratisation.

scholarly journals The "Arab Spring": New Mechanisms of Change of Authoritarian Political Regimes

2015 ◽  
pp. 238-246
Author(s):  
E. A. Antyukhova
Keyword(s):  
Arab Spring ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Political Regimes ◽  
Distinctive Features ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The Government ◽  
Real Picture ◽  
The Arab Spring

The article explores the use of mechanisms in bringing down authoritarian political regimes in the Middle East and North Africa with the "Arab spring" in focus. The technique of "non-violent" methods of fight suggested by "godfather" of the "Arab spring" Gene Sharp is analyzed. It is noted that the distinctive features of his system were planned, determined and dynamic actions of protest forces. A special place in the article is devoted to the study of the role of non-governmental organizations in selecting and training protest leaders and activists and in creating a network of supporters of prodemocratic movements. The article examines the role of the Internet and cyber technologies used by the opposition during protest rallies. Non-violence as means of bringing down the existing power turned out to be an alternative to armed resistance. The key role of non-violent actions consisted in changing the point of view of anti-government forces, demonstrating that the public solidarity could make the regime overthrow possible. It is noted that the latest information means gave the process of political changes due activity and focus which was followed by the information actions designed to discredit the government in place and form the corresponding public opinion. Mediatization of politics promoted the creation of a dense information veil retouching a real picture. The overall system of methods used during the "the Arab spring" indicates that the mechanism of overthrowing authoritarian regimes and its technologies came from Western culture and were borrowed by Arab activists.

scholarly journals NGOs and Global Trade: Non-State Voices in EU Trade Policymaking

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-209
Author(s):  
Diana Potjomkina
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Trade Policy ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Global Trade ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The Eu

Erin Hannah offers a timely and thought-provoking analysis of civil society’s participation in the European Union’s trade policy. Relying on two case studies, the book shows that while the EU has created diverse instruments for engaging with civil society, in practice procedural improvements do not necessarily lead to greater influence for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Going beyond a purely technical view on NGOs’ access to policy-makers, we should also consider the ideational factors at play.

History of the European Neighborhood Policy and Eastern Partnership

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Aaron Thomas Walter
Keyword(s):  
Arab Spring ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eastern Partnership ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Southern Mediterranean ◽  
History Of ◽  
European Neighborhood Policy ◽  
Migration Crisis ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Eu

The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) was designed in 2004 to create closer ties between the EU and its eastern and southern neighboring countries. In 2009, the Eastern Partnership (EaP), a joint initiative between the 28 EU Member States and 6 Eastern countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine), was launched on the same basis of supporting area of prosperity and good neighborliness. To understand how the EU engages its neighboring countries in the southern Mediterranean and northern borders and fulfills the EaP in its requirements of security and stability, a history of the ENP and EaP is provided. The following chapter shall also explore the ENP and EaP framework and challenges linked to consequentialism and appropriateness between 2005 and 2017, including new approaches in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and 2015 migration crisis.

scholarly journals The European Union's Mediterranean Policy in the Context of the "Arab Spring"

2014 ◽  
pp. 139-149
Author(s):  
V. A. Latkina
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Arab Spring ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Foreign Policy ◽  
Southern Mediterranean ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Eu

The article discusses the policy of the European Union aimed at the export of its democratic values, acquis communautaire and governance models to the neighbour countries in the Southern Mediterranean. The process of Europeanization reflects a particular case of global megatrend -democratization which in its turn positioned as democracy promotion through soft power instruments. From the EU point of view the goal of the Barcelona process launched in 1995 was to construct Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and common identity in order to promote democratic transitions in Southern Mediterranean. While the EU Foreign Policy in the Mediterranean region was historically conditioned by the security interests of the European Union, it suffered from securitization/democratization dilemma. The article analyses the process of external Europeanization in the Southern Mediterranean as a regional dimension of global democratization process in the context of Union for the Mediterranean development before and after the Arab Spring and new approach in the framework of the ENP Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity with the Southern Mediterranean. The article proposes that the lack of political strategic vision in the EU toward the Arab democratic transition during 2011-2013 narrows its role as a transformative democratic power, hinders Europeanization/ democratization process in the macro-region of North Africa and Middle East and presents the EU with a new dilemma - to continue its traditional democratization policy or to shift towards a more pragmatic approach to cooperating with new Arab regimes.

Challenges to immigrant associations and NGOs in contemporary Greece

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apostolos G. Papadopoulos ◽  
Christos Chalkias ◽  
Loukia-Maria Fratsea
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Geographical Range ◽  
Legal Form ◽  
Social Actors ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Migrant Integration ◽  
Concentration Patterns

The paper explores the challenges faced today, in a context of severe economic crisis, by immigrant associations (ΙΜΑs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Greece. The data analysed here was collected between October 2009 and February 2010 and incorporates references to all recorded migration-related social actors operating in Greece. The paper takes into account such indicators as legal form, objectives, financial capacity and geographical range of activity, concluding with a typology of civil society actors dealing with migration issues. This study aims at informing the migration policymaking and migrant integration processes. By a spatial hot-spot clustering of IMAs and NGOs, we also illustrate the concentration patterns of civil society actors in Greece.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document