Civil Society And Political Change In Asia ― Expanding And Contracting Democractic Space

This book is the first comprehensive, systematic investigation of the connection between civil society and political change in Asiachange toward open, participatory, and accountable politics. Its findings suggest that the link between a vibrant civil society and democracy is indeterminate: certain types of civil society organizations support democracy, but others have the potential to undermine it.

Further, the study argues that while civil society is a key factor in political change, democratic transition and consolidation hinge on the development of effective political parties, legislatures, and state institutions. Rooted in a common definition of civil society, a strong analytical framework, and rich empirical material, the analyses and conclusions of the book will have a lasting impact on the understanding of civil society and its relation to democracy in Asia and around the world.

Muthiah Alagappa is Distinguished Senior Fellow at the East-West Center. He is the editor ofAsian Security Order: Instrumental and Normative Features (Stanford, 2003), Coercion and Governance: The Declining Political Role of the Military in Asia (Stanford, 2001),Asian Security Practice: Material and Ideational Influences (Stanford, 1998), andPolitical Legitimacy in Southeast Asia: The Quest for Moral Authority (Stanford, 1995).