Real Civil Societies

Dilemmas of Institutionalization

In recent social and political theory, the term "civil society" has achieved renewed currency. Used in a normative sense, the term describes a form of social organization that is neither economic nor political, in which individuals have rights while the community evidences solidarity and inclusion. Written from an empirical social-science perspective, this volume is a critical examination of the normative sense of "civil society." To what extent do actual societies exhibit the features of the "ideal-type" society; what happens to the ideals of civil society when they are economically, politically, and socially institutionalized; how do race and ethnicity impact the idea of civil society; and how can the idea be understood in the context of the nation state? Real Civil Societies is a comprehensive examination of the concept by a group of international scholars. It includes analyses of civil society and democracy, citizenship, race and ethnicity, and postcommunism. It will be an essential reference for students of sociology, social theory, and political science.