Civil Society: Theory and practice in East-Central Europe

Abstract

This study examines the concept of civil society from three distinct, yet interrelated, angles taking their departure from several shortcomings characteristic of current discourse on civil society. Firstly, the recent renaissance and subsequent expansion of thought and discussion about civil society have been accompanied by a noteworthy lack of conceptual and terminological clarity. A high degree of eclecticism prevails, with contributors choosing arguments and definitions commensurate with their own ideological, disciplinary and cultural positions but ignorant of the full conceptual wealth and development of civil society through history. Therefore, the first part of this study scrutinises the conceptual history of civil society, demonstrates how its analytical and normative content has dynamically developed over time and, against this backdrop, proposes and justifies a clear-cut definition. Secondly, it is striking to observe how thin the empirical knowledge base, in which the current debate is grounded, is. Theoretically oriented contributions prevail over empirical enquiries, and where empirical accounts have been provided, evidence is more often than not anecdotal, focuses on specific aspects of civil society, or addresses individual cases, countries or contexts. For this reason, the second part of this study provides a systematic, comprehensive and comparative analysis of civil society in East-Central Europe, and assesses developments in the region in comparison to the wider European context. Thirdly, and in returning to more theoretical considerations, little attention has been paid to the limits of civil society. Civil society is seen as a cure-all for many, if not all, problems plaguing societies today. However, inasmuch as it can be a blessing, civil society can also be a curse for democracy, as the last part of this study argues. The challenge civil society faces is to develop such features that make it a strong contributor to democracy, and the approach proposed in this study hopes to open up novel avenues for scholarly exploration and for the practical development of civil society.