Search

Background: The process of working together across sectors to improve health and to influence its determinants is often referred to as intersectoral action for health. The Liverpool Active City strategy and action plan were launched in 2005, bringing together partners from diverse sectors such as education, transport, and civil society to boost levels of physical activity among the city's residents. Methods: The research material was based on semistructured interviews with key stakeholders and on review and analysis of gray literature and media reports. A case-study method was used to analyze the experience. Results: The results show that Liverpool Active City succeeded in boosting levels of physical activity among the city's residents and demonstrate how intersectoral action benefited the goals of the program and promoted common aims. Conclusions: Important lessons can be drawn from the experience of Liverpool Active City for public health professionals and policy makers. Success factors include the involvement of a broad range of agencies from a variety of sectors, which reinforced the sense of partnership in the physical activity agenda and supported the implementation of activities. The experience also demonstrated how intersectoral action brought benefits to the physical activity goals of Liverpool Active City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the case of Berlin, this article examines civil society actors in relation to local bordering practices following the large number of refugee arrivals in 2015. Combining critical border, migration, and urban studies and adopting a Foucauldian lens, the article aims to illustrate to what extent civil society actors have challenged and transformed local bordering practices vis-a-vis refugees within a specific urban space. The analysis illustrates that civil society actors have created new spaces of inclusion for refugees and brought new political and normative challenges to the established notions of belonging. On the other hand, they have also reproduced bordering practices either by their integration into formal state structures or by reinforcing hierarchical categorizations and unequal power relations embedded in the notion of humanitarianism. Finally, the article argues that these de/re-bordering practices of civil society actors should be understood in line with the constraints that established bordering processes and the existing political and structural dynamics placed on them. Keywords: Berlin, bordering practices, civil society, humanitarianism, refugees., INTRODUCTION Unfortunately, people need pictures; pictures of dying children. Without pictures, they forget. Now, it is refugees that people are forgetting, because they no longer see them. Currently, twenty or [...]

This article analyses the condition of women in the MENA area in the light of the challenges faced by those countries within the context of globalization. It argues that, if the position of the MENA countries in the global political economy is increasingly marginalized, this is even truer for women, who are left behind in the process of up-skilling necessary to catch up with the increasing technological demands imposed by globalization. Moreover, the crisis of the Arab state within globalization seems to produce an increasing radicalization of society, with all that this means in terms of further marginalization of women. In this article a transnationalist conceptualization of globalization is adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this article is to outline approaches taken by civil society organizations (CSOs) in order to advance their work in social development given the changes in the aid architecture. It focuses on the Latin American region, particularly Andean countries, but many of the challenges and opportunities in a 'post-aid world' are insights that might prove helpful to other regions as well. The article provides a comprehensive outline of approaches that CSOs are taking given the changes in aid grouped into three categories: aid models, organizational considerations and revenue sources and modes of fundraising. Many of these have been in practice for sometime but might need to be more strategically used as CSOs manage the changing contexts. CSOs in Latin America and the Andes are considering a multitude of options, and while the approaches considered in the article are not an exhaustive list, they provide an overview of viable directions, which might positively influence CSOs' sustainability and continued provision and promotion of a myriad of public goods and services. The article ends with observations about aid shifts and its implications for CSOs and social development more broadly. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses objectives of the local news radio station PFRM in Indonesia including creating citizen journalism, expanding its social networks, and managing operational costs. Particular focus is given to the process of information supply by PFRM including gathering information through social media, use of participatory journalism, and defining the role of media in a civil society.

Copyright of Development in Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Development in Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Development in Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology. Organization & Management / Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Slaskiej. Seria Organizacji i Zarzadzanie is the property of Silesian Technical University, Organisation & Management Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

From professional pundits to casual observers, there are deep concerns about the state of American society and profound doubts about its future. Political cynicism is ascendant-and yet, the desire for politicians to "do something" remains. What role can public policy have in addressing the largest social problems and their causes? And beyond public policy, what are the potentially effective means in terms of social institutions, including the Church? Although public policy offers some promise, its usefulness is generally exaggerated. Its costs are typically subtle and often ignored. Knowledge of consequences and tradeoffs is insufficient, and the motives of political agents are less than pure. And many dilemmas, by their nature, cannot be ably addressed by politics and policy. In contrast, a resurgence in civil society-particularly the Church-holds more promise. Even in a time of potential "exile," the Church is called to pursue the holistic welfare of society and enhance the common good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we will discuss the mechanisms of self-realization, and civil duties. The author considers the civic society as a socio-cultrural field for effective self-realization. From this point of view, self-realization can be considered as a skill of creative discovery of truth and social justice. Through self-realization a person can gain self-determination – socially, culturally and historically. This paper overviews several mechanisms for realization in Civic society. Civic society supposes protection and acceptance of human rights and freedoms. It creates conditions for manifestation of a person and self-realization, providing the person’s active and responsible participation in social processes. Self-realization is a reproductive and identity specification mechanism of a person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the main stages of development and major modifications of the idea of civil society from Greek and Roman antique philosophy to modern researchers. It discusses two – broad (philosophical) and narrow (the third sector of organizing civil society) – perceptions of civil society and proposes corresponding definitions. Etatistic (controlled), liberal, conflicting, partnership, segmentational and linked models of civil society are analyzed. The expediency of linked and partnership models is substantiated from the position of security and harmonious development of the civic society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intention of this article is to provide a structural and operational analysis of policingbeyondthe police in Northern Ireland. While the polity enjoys low levels of ‘officially’ recorded crime as part of its post-conflict status, little empirical analysis exists as to the epistemological roots of security productionoutsidethat of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The empirical evidence presented seeks to establish that beyond more prominent analyses related to paramilitary ‘policing’, the country is in fact replete with a substantial reservoir of legitimate civil society policing – the collective mass of which contributes to policing, community safety and quality of life issues. While such non-state policing at the level of locale was recognised by the Independent Commission for Policing, structured understandings have rarely permeated governmental or academic discourse beyond anecdotal contentions. Thus, the present argument provides an empirical assessment of the complex, non-state policing landscape beyond the formal state apparatus; examines definitions and structures of such community-based policing activities; and explores issues related to co-opting this non-state security ‘otherness’ into more formal relations with the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The West Africa region is arguably the most turbulent region in Africa; from the civil wars of Liberia and Sierra Leone to the political disputes in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and recently Mali; the region has hosted the highest numbers of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions with mixed results. While the responsibility of peace, security and ensuring human protection resides with governments, Civil Society Organizations (CSOS) have demonstrated their capacity to complement government's efforts in peace and security; and political leadership across the world has come to realise the strength of CSOS in anticipating, preventing and resolving conflicts because of their in-depth knowledge of context and expertise in working closely with communities. This paper assesses the contributions of CSOS towards the promotion of human rights protection, mass atrocities prevention and civilian protection in conflict-affected areas in West Africa; and argues for continued involvement of CSOS in human protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activists are the engines of social movements. What spurs their activism? This article scrutinizes the role of civic participation in stimulating political action. We examine how the type of voluntary organization, scope of involvement and intensity of activity relate to political activity. Contrary to existing studies that collapse noninstitutional political activities into a single measure, we differentiate collective activities from individualized activities, enabling us to investigate how the type, intensity and scope of civic participation differentially stimulate political activities. Our sample included 14,787 participants in 71 street demonstrations. We show that membership and interest in activist organizations stimulates political activity, especially for those actively involved and especially for collective noninstitutionalized activities, while membership in leisure organizations only stimulates individualized political activities, but not collective activities. We therefore conclude that civic participation is a multifaceted phenomenon associated with various political activities in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploration of the political roles firms play in society is a flourishing stream within corporate social responsibility (CSR) research. However, few empirical studies have examined multiple levels of political CSR at the same time from a critical perspective. We explore both how the motivations of managers and internal organizational practices affect a company's choice between competing CSR approaches, and how the different CSR programs of corporate and civil society actors compete with each other. We present a qualitative interpretative case study of how a French children's clothing retailer develops CSR practices in response to accusations of poor working conditions and child labor in its supply chain. The company's CSR approach consists of superficial practices, such as supplier audits by a cooperative business-organized nongovernmental organization (NGO) and philanthropic activities, which enable managers to silence more radical alternative models defended by other NGOs, activists, and trade unions. By this approach, the core business model based on exploitative low-cost country sourcing remains intact through self-regulated CSR. Through the case study, we develop a framework of dynamism in competing CSR programs. We discuss the implications of our study for CSR researchers, company managers, and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that conflicts are productive forces within which new ideas are developed and new social relations are articulated. The critical issue here is the way in which such conflicts are managed and mediated. The paper analyses the Gezi Events of May–June 2013 in Istanbul and considers the way in which people’s reactions in these events are linked with the intersection of everyday lives and the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi – AKP) government’s social policy initiatives, which are increasingly framing these everyday lives. Social policy is considered to be the domain of this intersection, as the government uses policies to inform a particular way of orienting individuals’ everyday context. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article challenges a few assumptions about emerging international norms pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). First, although UN experts and expert bodies were the first to address SOGI issues at the UN, they have not been the most progressive. Second, social movement actors have not always been the most effective norm entrepreneurs. Third, although states are often accused of failing to take action on SOGI issues, there is a clear, emerging pattern of state involvement and progress. The norms constructed by states are less radical than those constructed by UN experts and civil society organizations, but they are more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores challenges to the state and state power originating in the world market and the world of states. It proposes an approach useful for this and other purposes and identifies reference points for discussing recent challenges. This cannot be the 'state in general' but must comprise well-specified, actually existing state forms. It then explores crises as an objectively overdetermined, subjectively indeterminate condensation of challenges that pose problems of crisis-management and may also lead to crises of crisis-management. It examines the interaction of economic and political crises and their possible role in the alleged decline of liberal democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Development in Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Globalizations is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

THE CHALLENGES OF poverty and development have long been regarded in terms of transitive relationships, in which the rich help the poor because the poor are not seen as able [...]

Although much has bee, written on civil society participation in the formulation and monitoring of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), very little systematic and scientific evidence exists on the kind of organizations that participate and the elements that explain their involvement in these processes. This article considers one country case, Honduras, for which survey data were gathered from 101 civil society organizations (CSOs) in 2006. This study examines the characteristics these organizations display which explain (non)participation in the next participatory round of the PRSPs. The findings challenge some of the by now widely accepted ideas relating to the kinds of organizations involved in PRSP processes. The idea that predominantly urbanbased, highly professional, well-funded , donor-bred-and-fed nongovernmental organizations participate is too blunt. The Honduran case shows that the players in participative processes are more diversified than much of the current literature on PRSPs suggests. Aunque se ha escrito mucho sobre la participacion de la sociedad civil en la formulacion y el seguimiento de Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP), hay muy poca evidencia sistematica y cientifica sobre el tipo de organizaciones que participan y los elementos que explican su participacion en estos procesos. En este trabajo se considera un caso de pais, Honduras, donde se juntaron datos de la encuesta de 101 organizaciones de la sociedad civil en 2006. Este estudio examina las caracteristicas que estas organizaciones demuestran que explican (no) participacion en la proxima ronda de participacion de PRSP. Los resultados sugieren que algunas de las ideas ya ampliamente aceptadas con respecto al tipo de organizaciones que participan en los procesos de PRSP son equivocadas. La idea de que las organizaciones no gubernamentales que son de base predominantemente urbana, muy profesional, bien financiadas, criadas y alimentadas por donantes, es demasiado embotada. El caso de Honduras muestra que los actores en los procesos participativos son mas diversificados que lo que la mayoria de la literatura actual sobre PRSP sugiere., CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION UNDER THE NEW AID APPROACH: RATIONALE AND STATE OF THE ART The World Bank launched the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in 1999, and it soon became [...]

This article analyzes the tensions and paradoxes that are emerging as developing nation governments and civil society organizations alike institutionalize. It examines the prospect for effective representation and for democratic governance in the face of the increasing complexities and professionalization of the public's business and of nongovernmental institutions. The article concludes that the challenges are large but not insuperable if approached with openness and imagination. Keywords: representation; participation; mediation; campaigns; crisis of representation; accountability; civil society organizations; democracy

This study describes and examines data on perceptions of role, capacity and knowledge challenges confronting civil society organizations (CSOs) in their attempt to influence extractive industry policymaking and governance in Ghana. Qualitative technique was employed in collecting data for the study. In all, twenty one CSOs were purposively selected and interviewed using issue-driven semi-structured interview technique. The findings of the study reveal that CSOs have good knowledge concerning policymaking and management issues in the extractive sector. It further indicates that Ghanaian CSOs had formed coalitions which gave them a better 'bargaining power' to be able to advocate for the ordinary citizen. In addition to these, it was found that the CSO community has progressed from a stage where they were marginalised by central government in policymaking to the current situation where they are regarded as major stakeholders in the policymaking process. The findings however, reveal that despite their increasing advocacy and governance roles, CSOs are faced with several difficulties which encumber their enhanced performance. The interviewees recommended that government should remove these obstacles if it is committed to improving extractive sector policymaking and governance in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the characteristic patterns of Japanese women's movements and presents an overview of women's movements and their socio-political significance in post-war Japan. It is observed that the diversity of these movements has contributed to strengthening democracy at the grassroots.

The efforts of the civil society in Morocco since the 1990s to play an independent and autonomous role in addressing the problems of Moroccan national life are presented. The steps taken by NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) and other reformers to fight for women's rights, and rights of minorities and the poor are discussed.

The article focuses on the development, identification and usage of grassroots from developing countries around the world. It notes the association of traditional civil society organisations with reporting and rules necessary for public funding. It outlines the militant and strong labour movement in South Korea. The Young Women for Change in Mongolia organisation in advocating the rights of women is mentioned.

Organizations can benefit from being internally diverse, but they may also face significant challenges arising from such diversity. Potential benefits include increased organizational innovation, legitimacy, and strategic capacity; challenges include threats to organizational stability, efficacy, and survival. In this article, we analyze the dynamics of internal diversity within a field of politically oriented civic organizations. We find that “bridging cultural practices” serve as a key mechanism through which racially and socioeconomically diverse organizations navigate challenges generated by internal differences. Drawing on data from extended ethnographic fieldwork within one local faith-based community organizing coalition, we describe how particular prayer practices are used to bridge differences within group settings marked by diversity. Furthermore, using data from a national study of all faith-based community organizing coalitions in the United States, we find that a coalition’s prayer practices are associated with its objective level of racial and socioeconomic diversity and its subjective perception of challenges arising from such diversity. Our multi-method analysis supports the argument that diverse coalitions use bridging prayer practices to navigate organizational challenges arising from racial and socioeconomic diversity, and we argue that bridging cultural practices may play a similar role within other kinds of diverse organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article analyzes how various societal interests and groups influenced employment and social policies in contemporary Serbia. These policies were shaped under the influence of international actors and current mainstream ideas. However, various societal interests and interest groups have affected them. Using policy network analysis, we identified key actors, their interests and ideological preferences, and the influence they exerted on the employment and welfare policies. The research indicates that the potential for the redistribution of power and resources is a trigger for establishing policy networks. In the field of social welfare we identify a stable policy network connecting various professional groups (from the public sector, academia, and the nongovernmental sector). There was a lack of other social interests in the debate, that is, welfare beneficiaries or civil society pressures that would influence policy process. The policy network was thereby primarily based on clearly identified interests of professional groups, and new welfare policies redefined and improved their professional and social status. In the field of employment policies, there was a lack of societal interests and organized interests groups that would influence policy process and outcomes. No policy network was identified, and obviously key actors in shaping of employment and labor policies (i.e., economic elites) were not even among the direct participants in the process. During the course of the policy reforms, direct and specific redistributive interests of groups that could have benefited from the new policies had mediated various policy inputs and at the end prevailed over the broader ideological frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Citizenship is essential for the development of state and society, the formation of civil society. Development and ensuring human rights and freedoms through constitutional institute of citizenship is one of the main problems in the theory and practice of constitutionalism. This article examines the issues of constitutional and legal regulation of citizenship in the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and foreign countries. The authors consider the main points of view on the notion of citizenship, its nature and significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumer movement in Malaysia, especially the Consumers' Association of Penang and the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations in the 1970s and 1980s, are examined. It is observed that since the 1980s, the decreased influence of consumerism and promotion of human rights has overtaken the politics of consumption as the dominant oppositional rhetoric of non-governmental groups.

The culture and history of the Russian people has made it difficult to cultivate widespread support for organizing and independent social protest has never been encouraged in Russian civil society. Three women activists from various organizations, Valentina Melnikove, Anna Sharogradskay, and Yevgenia Chirikova narrate their experiences at how they organized themselves to engage in public life.

This research aims to explain change and continuity in the strategies of economic development after the Islamic revolution in Iran. The explanatory model is as follows: the particular configuration and interaction of four factors explain the choices and changes in the strategies of economic development in Iran: the state, civil society, the world system and ideas. Starting in 1989, the Second Republic announced important changes in the Islamic State and its relations with civil society on one side, and with the international system on the other. These changes involved other changes in the strategies of development and the application of a new strategy of development. This new strategy has two important facets: programs of economic stabilization and programs of structural adjustment. Cette recherche a pour objectif d'expliquer le changement et la continuite dans les strategies de developpement economique apres la revolution islamique en Iran. Le modele explicatif est le suivant : la configuration et l'interaction particuliere de quatre facteurs expliquent le choix et le changement dans les strategies de developpement economique en Iran : l'Etat, la societe civile, le systeme mondial et les idees. A partir de 1989, la Deuxieme Republique annonce des changements importants dans l'Etat islamique et dans ses relations avec la societe civile islamique, d'un cote, et avec le systeme international, de l'autre. Ces changements en ont entraine d'autres dans les strategies de developpement et ont eu pour resultat l'application d'une nouvelle strategie de developpement. Cette nouvelle strategie a deux volets importants : les programmes de stabilisation economique et les programmes d'ajustement structurel.

The moral geographies based on class and civilized modernity that is contributing to urban segregation and social exclusion in (post-)socialist Shanghai's gated communities are discussed.

Popper's theory of the attraction of closed societies and his theory of research differ from each other because the former sees rational thought as contrary to man's nature, while the latter sees it as an inherent psychological process. This difference was because Popper developed a theory of the movement from the closed society seeing civilized society as a burden, however, he adapted Selz's view which sees rationality as natural.

The article examines development and evolving of Tanzania's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) policy, which aims to build partnership and dialogue between the donors, government and civil society and enhance ownership of reforms. Tensions created by PRSP in Tanzania are examined.

The article discusses about the process of change in informal rules in the European Union between formal treaty revisions and conflict between European Commission and European Parliament while framing informal rules for their interaction with civic society.

Government policies at managing household waste in Ireland notwithstanding, the country's civil society remains on the periphery of waste policy development and implementation. Reasons for this situation are sought that revealed that though they employed different methods, the conditions that served to rein in their operations as well as the development of future initiates were the same.

A study examining how the Social Forums that took place in southern Africa between 2003 and 2005 reflect and facilitate the effective articulation of growing popular resistance to neo-liberalism, economic injustice and political repression is illustrated. The Social Forum model is used mainly by the southern African social movements to strengthen their own struggles, but the global Social Forum remains biased towards Western activists and agendas.

The public role of mainline churches in post apartheid South Africa and their interaction with the political discourse are examined. It is possible to identify a shift in the church's action, passing from a position of alignment and non-confrontation with the government to a situation of disengagement and critical opposition.

Three civil action cases are examined to discuss the way in which the cultural practice of jeong and a Korean collective moral responsibility have revitalized ethical civil society in Korea. It is believed that the jeong-based ethical civil society is most culturally suitable and politically feasible in Korea.