February 22, 2007 | Read Time: 2 minutes
NEW BOOKS
Transnational Civil Society: An Introduction
edited by Srilatha Batliwala and L. David Brown
The editors of this volume define, discuss, and explain the emergence of a loose international network of groups, churches, associations, social movements, philanthropists, and others that together have a powerful impact on social progress and attitudes — an influence separate from government or business, write Srilatha Batliwala, a civil society fellow at Harvard University, and L. David Brown, director of international programs and a lecturer at Harvard.
Through advances in communication and travel, the sense of society and culture can now cross geographical borders and exist independently of a fixed country or continent, creating a global community: For example, a nonprofit organization in Mexico may share values, goals, and ideas with a group in France working for economic justice.
The book’s chapters — which include essays by professors, foundation and nonprofit leaders, and other experts — elaborate on this idea of an international society.
To make theory more practical and understandable, six of the chapters are devoted to both historical examples of how transnational civil society has shaped social change — such as the international labor movement of the 19th and 20th centuries — and more recent instances, including the worldwide peace activism of the last few decades. Other contributors discuss theories of economic globalization, conservative social movements, global governance, and civic transnationalism.
Ms. Batliwala and Mr. Brown argue that transnational civil society is “a manifestation of an older, more complex, and deeply contentious historical process of creating a more just, equitable, and democratic world,” not merely a product of globalization.
“Globalization is creating more transnational problems and facilitating recognition of the need for transnational answers,” they write.
Publisher: Kumarian Press, 1294 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, Conn. 06002; (860) 243-2098; fax (860) 243-2867; kpbooks@kpbooks.com; http://www.kpbooks.com; 270 pages; $25.95; ISBN 1-56549-210-2.
