Whatever Happened to Civil Society?

INTRAC Conference

Is 'civil society' now just a development buzzword? INTRAC’s international conference will re-examine the concept and role of civil society and focus on its significance in relation to current debates and practice in development, human rights and democracy promotion.

The conference will explore the following issues:
1. Concepts and practice: what do we mean by civil society?
2. Relationships between civil society and the aid industry
3. Civil society and the State – contractor, watchdog or antagonist?
4. New challenges for civil society

Is there still a practical role for civil society? Recent trends suggest that support for civil society actors may be in decline. There are also concerns that the political space for the autonomous activity of civil society actors is being threatened by the rise of the new security agenda and the contracting out of service delivery to non-governmental organisations.