This is a book about a political idea - an idea that came out of the 1989 revolutions. It is an idea that expresses a real phenomenon, even if the boundaries and shape of the phenomenon are contested and subject to constant redefinition. The study of past debates as well as the actions and arguments of the present is a way of directly influencing the phenomenon, and of contributing to a changing reality, if possible for the better. The task is all the more urgent in the aftermath of September 11.
Global Civil Society will be read by students of politics, international relations and sociology, as well as activists, policy-makers, journalists and all those engaged in global public debates.
* Exam copies only available to lecturers for whom the book may be suitable as a course text.
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Choice
"A powerfully persuasive book ... a must-read for students of
politics, practitioners, activists, journalists, and anyone engaged
in public activism."
Perspectives on Political Science
"In Global Civil Society, [Kaldor] is particularly
concerned with the importance of nonstate actors in international
relations, working within the constructivist tradition of
international relations from an activist perspective. When she
examines the theoretical roots and contemporary development of
global civil society, she is hardlt a disinterested observer. ...In
short, in assessing Global Civil Society, it is important to
recognize both Kaldor's intellectual honesty and her explicit
political commitments. She examines literature and events to
develop an arguement about how to promote peace in the future.
Thus, this book is a theoretical and political treatise, informed
by Kaldor's reading of theory and history and also by her
experience as an activist. ...Global Civil Society is a
short, sharp read that is organized around a clear argument. It
should be a welcome addition to the bookshelves of scholars
interested in peace, war, and global civil society."
David S. Meyer, University of California, Irvine
Abbreviations.
Chapter 1: Five Meanings of Global Civil Society.
Chapter 2: The Discourse of Civil Society.
Chapter 3: The Ideas of 1989: The Origins of the Concept of Global Civil Society.
Chapter 4: Social Movements, NGOs and Networks.
Chapter 5: Globalization, the State and War.
Chapter 6: September 11: The Return of the ‘Outside’?.
Notes.
Index
