1st Edition

Democracy and Civil Society in a Global Era

Edited By Scott N. Romaniuk, Marguerite Marlin Copyright 2016
    292 Pages 24 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Democracy and Civil Society in a Global Era addresses challenges to the strengthening of active citizenship. In this highly-structured work, the themes presented are linked to fostering a culture of peace and non-violence, the lessening of fear and insecurity in political, economic, social, and cultural terms inherently detached from the conceptualization of political delineations and physical boundaries, and the ability to live dignified lives. The various regions that are represented in the case studies include: the Indian sub-continent, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, China, the Middle East, Nigeria and the EU. The commonality and universality of the topics allows readers from any region of the world to relate to them.

    This book presents a dynamic combination of theory and field research, and is an iconoclastic tour-de-force of studies in democracy. Policy makers, think tanks and development practitioners may be particularly be interested in this book because it is about action rather than mere ideas and processes. It demonstrates how social movements can introduce and strengthen equality, inclusion, accountability, and the free flow of information. These elements, in turn, can contribute to the acculturation of freedom and social justice, in the developed world just as much as in the developing world.

    Part 1: Democracy  1. Constitutional Democracy for Divided Societies Munafrizal Manan  2. Democracy Promotion as a Security Strategy: The Case of the European Union Ioannis A. Stivachtis  3. The EU’s Democracy Promotion in its "Neighborhood": Renegotiating the post-Arab Spring Framework Manasi Singh  4. States of Depoliticization: The Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Political Economy of Discretion Sorin Mitrea  5. The Public Sphere and Practice of Democracy in Nigeria: The Context and Contribution of the Nigerian Diaspora Kudus Oluwatoyin Adebayo and Emeka Thaddues Njoku  6. Immigration and Democratic States’ Borders: A Normative Map of Migration Theories Georgiana Turculet  7. Managing Ethnic Diversity: The Pakistani Experience Muhammad Mushtaq  8. An Abuse of Culture: North Korean Settlers, Multiculturalism, and Liberal Democracy Minkyu Sung  9. Dictators, Trade, and Development: The Mediterranean MENA Development Model and Euro-Mediterranean Economic Relations Eugenio Dacrema  10. Regional Security and Democratic Transitions: An Alternate Perspective Barbara Buraczynska  11. Democracy and State Constitutionalism: The Quest for "Good Governance" in Bangladesh Sayed Javed Ahmad & Scott Nicholas Romaniuk  Part 2: Civil Society  12. Taking Steps towards an Understanding of "Civil Society with Chinese Characteristics": An Exploration through the Eyes of Chinese Faith-based Organizations Dr. Caroline Fielder  13. Redrawing Boundaries: Neoliberal Governmentality and the Politics of Active Citizenship Abhilash Babu  14. Public Corruption and Civic Disclosure: Natural Resources and Indonesia Mark S. Williams  15. The United Nations and Post-conflict Zones: Policy Failure in the Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme Sarah Shoker  16. Global Civil Society and UN Anti-Trafficking Agreements Marguerite Marlin  17. When Interests Collide: J. H. Merryman’s "The Public Interests in Cultural Property" and the Sistine Chapel Joshua K. Wasylciw  18. ASEAN: The Intersection of Democracy, Civil Society, and Human Rights Benoît Masset

    Biography

    Scott Nicholas Romaniuk is a PhD Candidate in International Studies at the University of Trento and Affiliate Researcher at the Bruno Kessler Foundation, Italy.

    Marguerite Marlin is a PhD Candidate in Political Science, specifically Comparative Public Policy, at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.

    "There is a vast and burgeoning literature on ‘democracy’ and ‘modernity’ and their links to ‘civilized values’, and this project became even more urgent after the events of 9/11. Much of this work presents only a partial, inevitably western-centric view. This latest volume adopts a broader, global perspective. Bringing together some of the leading theorists in the field of democracy studies, the book explores less familiar approaches; in the process, it raises and seeks to answer highly pertinent questions. An impressive and refreshing addition to the field, it is likely to appeal to researchers, students and those with a need to know what can be done differently." –Maria Holt, University of Westminster, UK

    "This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex socio-economic and political matrix in a Global Era. The collection of works is representative of truly transnational issues. Immigration and human trafficking, democratization for peace and security, active citizenship, role of civil society, political corruption, and ethnic diversity are some of the many issues addressed in the book. Readers will be enthralled by the richness of the collection of articles and case studies." –Hasnat Dewan, Fulbright scholar and award-winning professor of Economics, Thompson Rivers University, Canada