ISTR Sixth International Conference Toronto, Canada / July 11-14, 2004 Contesting Citizenship and Civil Society in a Divided World

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	Abstracts

Negotiating Civil Society, the State and the Market: International Development NGOs and Reflexive Strategies for Global Citizenships
by
Matt Smith
Sociology Department, Northumbria University, UK

This paper explores the ways in which International Non-Governmental Development Organisations (INGDOs) seek to engender forms of global citizenship in the ‘North #8217;. It demonstrates that to understand how civil society organisations respond to division and inequality, we must acknowledge that they are not outside the structures and processes which shape such divisions, focusing attention on the processes of mediation and negotiation which produce civil society strategies for global citizenship.

The key argument of the paper is that whilst growing global divisions and tensions provide the central imperative for INGDOs #8217; strategies for global citizenship, divisions between and within INGDOs, informed by wider divisions within and between state, market and civil society, present significant challenges for engendering global citizenship in the #8216;North #8217;. The paper argues for a recognition of the plurality of citizenships that are being sought from within civil society, as well as from within single INGDOs, through, for example, development education, public awareness raising, fundraising and campaigning.

To understand this diversity, the paper focuses attention on the complex interplay of macro and micro political factors that shape different forms of engagement, and on the ways INGDOs need to negotiate the tensions and contradictions between state, market and society in engendering global citizenship; particular emphasis is placed on the impacts of NGDOs #8217; location within a competition for narrow funding sources, the role of state funding for civic engagement, the challenges of engaging with diverse communities and constituencies and the ways that levels of #8216;global consciousness #8217; inform the capacity of organisations to engender new forms of global engagement.

Through highlighting the tensions and challenges of engendering global civic engagement, the paper builds a case for a more reflexive approach. It suggests that INGDOs need to render explicit the possibilities of different forms of global citizenship to #8216;Northern #8217; constituencies, to communicate with #8216;Northern #8217; constituencies more openly and dialogically and to democratise civic engagement through greater use of participatory action and research methodologies. It is suggested that these shifts are beginning to take place, and do not place unrealistic demands on civil society organisations. In addition, by placing greater emphasis on dialogue and participation in the #8216;North #8217;, they have the potential to engender important shifts towards a wider #8216;global consciousness #8217;, and hence, open the possibility for diverse and meaningful forms of global citizenship.

Empirical base This paper draws on qualitative data collected as part of three ongoing research projects being conducted in the UK: data collected during research examining the role of development education work within large UK INGDOs; data from an ongoing multi-disciplinary project exploring the #8216;Public faces of development #8217;; data collected as part of a project analysing #8216;education for global citizenship #8217; resources produced by civil society organisations. The paper also draws on the experiences of the author as a former development education officer within an NGO, and on his current research and practitioner work with national and regional civil society organisations working on global citizenship in the UK.

Relation to existing literature This paper draws on existing literature on the wider context of the paper, such as theoretical work on citizenship (e.g. Dower, 2003; Dower and Williams (eds.) 2000; Delanty, 2000), theoretical and empirical studies of civil society (e.g. Keane, 2003; Anheier H. et al. 2001) and research on NGOs and civil society (e.g. Eade and Ligteringen (eds.), 2001). It also draws on more specific literatures, such as Hillhorst( 2003) and Crewe and Harrison (1998) who seek to offer more ethnographic and micro-level analyses, and Edwards (1999) and Arnold (1988) who make important steps in highlighting the need to engage with INGDOs #8217; work with their #8216;Northern #8217; constituencies. By linking these literatures with each other and with micro-level data, the paper not only contributes to the theorising of INGDOs #8217; work with their #8216;Northern #8217; constituencies, but affords important insights wider debates around INGDOs, citizenship and civil society.

Relevance to an international audience This paper is relevant to all who are interested in the potential of civil society organisations to shape and address global divisions and inequality. Whilst civil society organisations based in the UK form the central case study, the issues raised and addressed are of direct relevance to civil society organisations throughout the world, not only in terms of contributing to the elucidation and analysis of key themes for future research, but in highlighting the need to address the full breadth of work undertaken by INGDOs.

References Anheier, H., Glasius, M. and Kaldor, M. (Eds) 2001 Global Civil Society 2001 Oxford: Oxford University Press. Arnold, S. (1988) Constrained Crusaders? British charities and development education, Development Policy Review 6, pp. 183-209. Crewe E. and Harrison E. 1998. Whose Development? An Ethnography of Aid. London: Zed Books. Delanty G. 2000 Citizenship in a Global Age. Milton Keynes: Open University Press. Dower N. 2003 An Introduction to Global Citizenship. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Dower N. and Williams J. (eds.) 2002 Global Citizenship. A Critical Reader. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Eade and Ligteringen (eds.), 2001 Debating Development. Oxford: Oxfam. Edwards, M. (1999) Future Positive London, Earthscan Publications. Hillhorst D. 2003. The Real World of NGOs. London: Zed books. Keane J. 2003 Global Civil Society? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Date received: September 24, 2003

Copyright © 2003 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # call-87.