Towards a Transnational Civil Society : Actors and Concepts in Europe from the Late Eighteenth to the Twentieth Century
Year: 2010
Type: preprint
Abstract: Since late eighteenth-century Enlightenment, the concept of civil society has increasingly assumed\na transnational dimension that has given rise to political debates and attracted scholarly\ninterest. This paper provides a research report and a historical overview of the emergence and\ntransformation of civil society organizations that have transcended national borders and\ncultural boundaries, especially International Non-Governmental Organizations. Based on\ndeliberations about the definition and conceptualization of ‘transnational civil society’, the\ninvestigation concentrates on the abolitionists, the workers’ organizations as well as on peace\nand on women’s movements. The authors suggest that further historical studies of\ntransnational civil society should relate its groups and activists to specific contexts and\nconditions. They also argue that further research should pay particular attention to the actors\nof transnational civil society, their performance and representations. Overall, static\nconceptions of transnational civil society have ignored its flexibility and changeability over\nthe course of the last two centuries.
Authors: Arnd Bauerkämper, Christoph Gumb
Institution: Freie Universität Berlin
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1932357759