Issue 2, 2003   

The Shapes of Civil Society
Establishing a Concept

Andreas Buro: Peace Movement in Protest, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 7-9

The analysis of the international peace movement was written before the war against iraq. Also in times of little mobilization the peace movement was kept alive by sensitive and concerned activists. In February 2003 when the war became likely it was possible to mobilize large parts of the population. Discussing the motivation of protesters Buro concludes that continuing engagement is dependent on the duration of the conflict and learning by local peace camps.

Dieter Rucht: Peace Protesters - Who are They, What do they Want? FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 10-13

During the world wide protests to stop the war against Iraq, in seven countries surveys among activists were conducted. Dieter Rucht presents results from a questionnaire based study among protesters of the largest German peace rally in Berlin. The majority of the protesters is highly educated and young, politically active and oriented towards the left. They trust social movements and globalization critical organizations much more than established political actors.

Joachim Raschke: Movement, Reform, Protest - Blockades and Changes, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 14-23

During the ceremony for the 15th anniversary of the Forschungsjournal Neue Soziale Bewegungen Joachim Raschke analyzes effects of the new social movements. The national electoral success of the red-green government 1998 and 2002 can be ascribed to the movements, which have been the basis for a majority oriented towards ecological goals and social justice. This part of the population was able to outnumber the economically oriented fraction. The movements have been the driving force for changes in the social democratic and the green party which were crucial for later electoral success.

Ansgar Klein: Discourse-Political Intervention - On the Goals of the Forschungsjournal Neue Soziale Bewegungen, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 24-28

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Forschungsjournal Neue Soziale Bewegungen the editor Ansgar Klein discusses the goals and selfdescription of the journal. At the core is the idea of political intervention in the tradition of deliberative discourse politics.

Jürgen Kocka: Civil Society in Historical Perspective, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 29-37

The author analyzes the historical discourse on civil society and suggests a definition which combines three aspects: civil society denotes (1) a specific type of social action which is (2) located between the sectors economy, state, and privacy. Furthermore (3) it is an utopian concept. Jürgen Kocka discusses the relation between capitalism respectively state on the one hand and civil society on the other hand. Market development as well as democracy are related to civil society in a sense that they support each other. In Germany a long tradition of sympathy for the civil society project can be found among the bougeoisie. At the beginning of the 20th century working class become more active in the civil society. Social inequality hinders the project of civil society and trust is a prerequisite. Transnational developments are only vague by now.

Paul Nolte: Civil Society and Social Inequality, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 38-45

Civil societies are not characterized by juridical and economical equality. Social inequality has some positive effects on civil society but also puts the project at risk. This ambivilant relation can be found in modern societies where a spirit of community developed hand in hand with increasing inequality. The potentiality of actors to become a part of civil society is related to their social position.

Detlef Pollack: Civil Society and State in Democracy, FJ NSB, 2/2003, pp. 46-58

Detlef Pollack presents an approach to civil society which avoids normative connotations. Most normative concepts include implicitly a critical assessment of the state, though the criticism has declined in sharpness. According to the author civil society should by a plural concept which highlights difference and conflict over consent and harmony. To include the 'dark side' of civil society he wants to consider also tollerance and democracy as constitutive. Civil society is by and large supportive for the input- and output-function of the political system.

Roland Roth: The Dark Side of Civil Society, FJ NSB, 2/2003, pp. 59-73

The assessment of civil societies in respect to democracy needs a look at the supportive but also the obstructive aspects. Groups of a 'bad civil socitey' are only seldom included in the research agenda. Also, the more coporatist the established structure the less civil society actors comply with the expectations of autonomous, voluntary organizations. At the borders of civil society on the one hand and market respectively state on the other hand racism and corruption are serious problems. The democratization of liberal democracies needs new institutional structures. A call for civil society is insufficient.

Annette Zimmer: Structural Conditions for Civil Society, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 74-86

The debate on civil society has paid too little attention to the state. Civil Society should be a normative utopian alternative to the current situation in which legitimacy of the state is eroding. This concept should be based on theory of democracy and on the organisational sociology of the third sector. Research has to take structural conditions into account. Therefore Annette Zimmer presents a typology of civil society organizations which classifies them according to structural aspects, their relation to the state. The most important tasks of civil society actors are guarantor of welfare efficiency, democratic authenticity, and social integration.

Helmut Anheier/Nuno Themundo/Matthias Freise: Transnational Civil Society and Organizational Development, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 87-96

The article presents information on infrastructure and organizational development of international non governmental organizations (INGOs) and networks. The organizational dynamic is driven by multiple factors in a highly dynamic and complex environment. This results in contradictory organizational changes. The scene is marked by various organizational types.

Ludwig Pott: The Enquete-Commission as Social System, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 97-106

Ludwig Pott revues the work of the enquete commission "Future of civil volunteering" which was established by the German Bundestag and now presents its results. The commission was not only structured around its task. As in other social contexts also role definitions, power differences, opinion leadership, and authority were decisive for decision making. The author describes the commission's task, function, and way of working and analyzes rituals, micropolitics, norms, and taboos. It becomes clear that concepts of civil society cannot be designed from the scratch.

Michael Opielka: Civil Society versus Working Society? Green Social Policy at a Corssroads, FJ NSB 2/2003, pp. 107-114

In the last issue of the Forschungsjournal Neue Soziale Bewegungen (1/2003) Frank Nullmeier critized the concept of civil society. Michael Opielka answers on this article by analyzing green social policy. Opielka rejects the suggestion to accept economic inequality as reality and the focus of social policy on self engagement. To him such a perspective is the reason why green social policy is currently insignificant. The acceptance of market rationality and the lack of an actor perspective is higly problematic. Civil society is the only balancing actor against a policy which is based on economically liberalism and state centered.