Civil Society theories Flashcards
What is the relationship between citizenship and civil society in perhaps the broadest sense?
Citizenship is played out in a community that is called civil society
Under what framework did Gramsci view civil society?
Within his understanding of cultural hegemony: how institutions, the nation state and the bourgeoisie seek to manipulate culture so that it becomes second nature, normalised
What is included in Gramsci’s civil society?
Social institutions served by the people as part of the state (Church, Unions and political parties)
Is Gramsci’s view of civil society liberal?
Often categorised as such, although the theoretical base is very much a populist-Marxist idea
What was de Tocqueville’s view of civil society?
VOLUNTARY social organisations (charities, clubs etc), SEPARATE from the state
Forms a key part of democracy
What two theories are labelled as liberal citizenship?
- de Tocqueville
- Gramsci (although more of a Hegelian-Marxist understanding)
How do Hegelian and Marxist notions of civil society contrast with liberal understandings?
Linked to class struggle - not open to everyone and exclusionary Focus on capitalist markets
What is a contemporary alternative theory of civil society?
Giddens’ Third Way:
- State
- Market
- Everything else (separate from the above -clearly wrong!)
What do de Tocqueville’s and Giddens’ theories of civil society have in common? Why are they important?
Civil society seen as external to the state, thereby enabling neoliberal approaches for development
Who has substantially contributed to the idea of social capital?
Robert Putnam (2000, Bowling alone)
What is the idea behind social capital?
- That social capital allows engagement with civil society
- Linked to economic, political and cultural capital
(c.f. Putnam, 2000)
What is the premise behind Putnam (2000) “Bowling alone”?
That civil society in the US has deteriorate substantially because of a concurrent deterioration in social capital
Is civil society always democratic?
Not really, often underlying issues of exclusion etc, similarly with citizenship in general
Who has written about social movements as an element of civil society?
Painter, 1995 and how Marxian views can be restrictive and lack intersectionality
Who has written about divisions in civil society in India?
Chatterjee 2014
How does Chatterjee (2014) see civil society in India?
- Split into CITIZENS with civic property - the middle classes, and POPULATIONS without property living in slums
- Thus true “citizens” are actually a minority
- Language recreates this cultural hegemony (Gramsci)
What did the office for the third sector become in 2016 in the UK?
Minister for civil society - Created by David Cameron
Replaced the roll based on the Third Way
Since less significant - now part of charities (so even less connection to the state!)
Why was minister for civil society created in 2016?
To have a ministerial post for Cameron’s “big society” project
Why have politicians since the 1990s incorporated ministerial posts dealing with civil society?
To counter-act the adverse social effects of neoliberalism, whilst also giving the realm outside the state more control and autonomy
Moved support away from the state even further in doing so
When did big society fail?
2014, stopped being used by Cameron
What was the idea behind the Big Society?
To make “Society bigger than ever before” - a counterpart to the reduced state
What is a good example of a long running big society?
Collectivist attitudes, seen in Walmart Checkouts
How does “Big Society” and its equivalents highlight the contradictions of neoliberal capitalism?
The state is needed to support localised elements of civil society, even though the state should have no involvement
When was big society semi-resurrected?
With the Covid pandemic - government proving charity-like funding
The term even returned
Why is social capital important for Putnam?
It allows for social cohesion and econ growth - this latter point is why he advised UK and US govs in the 1990s and 2000s
What has the decline in social capital in the US been met with?
A rise in political movements, but these have less social cohesion and collectiveness (Putnam, 2000)
What is a contemporary example of a civil society movement engineered by the state? What are the implications?
- Climate Assembly in the UK (created by Gov in 2019)
- Might give excuse to move attention away from the government and the state
- Could also lack expertise
What does learning citizenship highlight?
A disparity between what the state (or hegemonic ideologies) wants compared to what the students want to learn and voice
(Staeheli and Hammett 2010)
Why does citizenship studies usually look at democratic societies?
There are supposedly more opportunities and political democracy in these places
What is ironic about liberal democracies?
- A priori inclusivity
- Yet also exclusions exist
- About holding the nation state accountable…
