ABSTRACT
While the concept of civil society as such is not common currency in the USA, there is nonetheless a deep-seated cultural understanding that civil society finds its clearest expression in this country. Indeed, a strong political and cultural current running through US history and contemporary society sees the USA as an ongoing experiment in civility, community-building, democracy and self-governance. Not only the country as a whole, but also cities such as New York, Miami or Los Angeles in particular regard themselves as the ‘social laboratories’ of modern urban life: they are among the most diverse in the world in ethnic, religious and social terms, with large portions of immigrant populations, small local government, and high levels of individualism and community organization.
