Languages of Civil Society [Paperback]

The past two decades have witnessed a revival of the concept of 'civil society'. From East Central Europe to Latin America and East Asia to the recent calls for a 'European civil society' and a 'global civil society', the concept signifies the need for national and supra–national forms of civic commitment against both unjustified state domination and neo–liberal marketization. Reviewing the long history of the concept, its use in various regional contexts and its place in critical political theory, this book takes comprehensive stock of these debates and asks about the potential of the concept of civil society in guiding political transformations towards fuller understandings of liberty and democracy.

Introduction
Peter Wagner

PART I: BEGINNINGS

Chapter 1.Civil Society and the Probl?matique of Political Modernity
Jean TerrierandPeter Wagner

Chapter 2.From koinon?a politik? to societas civilis: Birth, Disappearance and First Renaissance of the Concept
Peter HallbergandBj?rn Wittrock

PART II: NARROWING

Chapter 3.The Nationalisation and Popularisation of Political Language: the Concept of 'Civil Society' in Swedish
Peter Hallberg

Chapter 4.Declining Deliberation: Civil Society, Community, Organised Modernity
Jean TerrierandPeter Wagner

Chapter 5.The Withering Away of 'Civil Society' and the Organization of Social Life: the Case of Germany from the Wilhelminian era to the G.D.R.
Jay RowellandB?n?dicte Zimmermann

PART III: WIDENING

Chapter 6.The Second Renaissance of Civil Society in East and Central Europe – and in the European Union
Jody JensenandFerenc Miszlivetz

Chapter 7.Pluralized Globalisation: Civil Society in East Asia and Latin America
Shin Jong-HwaandPeter Wagner