Civil Society and Democratic Theory: Alternative Voices

The idea of civil society is gathering momentum today as the search continues for forms of democracy outside of what is often seen as a discredited state. But whatcan we really expect from civil society? In particular, could citizen self-organization 'beneath' the state provide for the democratic self-determination that so many feel is lacking in modern society, despite promises to the contrary from liberal democracies? This book explores these pressing and topical questions by introducing radically alternative models of civil society that have been developed outside of the liberal democratic frame of reference, models which suggest that civil societydoesoffer new and non-statist democratic possibilities. Drawing on a wide range of civil society theory-practice from Eastern Europe and Latin America (including the Zapatistas in Mexico), and from visions of global civil society too, this book is uniquely positioned to consider the questions posed by these alternative voices for democratic theory andpractice.

Gideon Baker is Lecturer in Political Theory in the School of English, Sociology, Politics and Contemporary History at the University of Salford.