Topics West Asia
Launch Publication Beyond Orthodox Approaches
Within the framework of Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia, Hivos in collaboration with NIMD ad University of Amsterdam, will launch on 26 March 2010 the policy paper ‘Beyond Orthodox Approaches, Assessing Opportunities for Democratic Support in the Middle East and North Africa. The launch will take place at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.› read more...
Tags: West Asia, Civil Society in West Asia
Date: 26 March : Location: VOC hal, Oost Indisch Huis E0.02, Kloveniersburgwal 48, University of Amsterdam
Tags: West Asia, Civil Society in West Asia
Date: 26 March : Location: VOC hal, Oost Indisch Huis E0.02, Kloveniersburgwal 48, University of Amsterdam
Launch Publication Beyond Orthodox Approaches
Within the framework of Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia, Hivos in collaboration with NIMD ad University of Amsterdam, will launch on 26 March 2010 the policy paper ‘Beyond Orthodox Approaches, Assessing Opportunities for Democratic Support in the Middle East and North Africa. The launch will take place at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This publication aims to explore what role - if any - external organisations, such as Hivos and NIMD, can play to further demo...
Imitation of the West'? Civil society in the Arab world
On Thursday 28 January 2010, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi declared in a televised address to the General People's Congress that the idea of civil society "is a bourgeois culture and an imitation of the West that has no place here [in Libya]" . Gaddafi's statement last week drew particular media attention because it came on the eve of a proposal due to be announced by his son, Saif al-Islam, which would have permitted the creation of NGOs. Gaddafi's comments were grounded in Lib...
Social Capital and Authoritarianism
It is widely recognized that social capital is essential for the existence and working of civil society and democracy. This recognition though is largely related to democratic regimes. Less is known on how (the lack) of social capital could affect civic engagement in authoritarian contexts. Read the report of the seminar ‘What is the role of social capital in authoritarian settings?’ held on the 15th of January 2010 at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Social Capital and Authoritarianism
It is widely recognized that social capital is essential for the existence and working of civil society and democracy. This recognition though is largely related to democratic regimes. Less is known on how (the lack) of social capital could affect civic engagement in authoritarian contexts. Read the report of the seminar ‘What is the role of social capital in authoritarian settings?’ held on the 15th of January 2010 at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
NEWSLETTER Civil Society in West Asia, Issue 2: 'Democratization Industry' and Challenges faced by Civil Society Concept
15/02/2010 Crisis is a much-overworked word in social sciences generally and in politics in particular. Phrases such as ‘democracy promotion is in crisis’ or ‘civil society can never be a force for democratization’ are simplistic overstatements. However, one cannot deny that there are serious challenges on the road to democratization, both of a conceptual and of a practical nature. The second issue of the newsletter of Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia deals with the challenges faced by th...Complex Dynamics Civil-Political Societies and Democratization Processes
07/01/2010 Is there a relationship between civil society and political society in democratisation processes? How do these societies influence each other? What are the potential interrelated (explanatory) variables of both societies which could improve or impede democratization? To find out more about these topics, read the interesting research paper of Stephan de Vries titled: The Downfall of Simplicity and the ‘Complex’ Notion (s) of Democratization: A Revision of the Relation between Political Societ...Working Paper: Moth or Flame, the Sunni Sphere and Regime Durability in Syria
02/12/2009 This working paper is written by Teije Hidde Donker and based on the forthcoming academic article “Enduring Ambiguity. The Civil Dynamics of Authoritarian Upgrading in Sunni Syria” Teije Hidde Donker is currently a PhD student at the European University Institute in Florence. During the first half of 2009 he conducted field research in Syria for the Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia
NEWSLETTER Civil Society in West Asia, Issue 1: Blogosphere in Authoritarian States
We are pleased to present to you the first quarterly newsletter from the Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia, which celebrated its first anniversary. Civil Society Activism under Authoritarian Rule
18/11/2009 On the 13th of November, 2009, Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia organised a seminar on the Moroccan civil society for the political scientist and researcher Dr. Francesco Cavatorta. Dr. Cavatorta is attached to School of Law and Government, Dublin State University and Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia. The presentation and conclusions provided a platform for researchers and civil society actors to involve in a lively and critical debate about the role of Moroccan c...