ABSTRACT
What are the structures of exclusion that concern us today, and what are the various merits and limitations of civil society responses to these exclusions which preoccupy us? Rieger’s chapter discuss the pros and cons of various approaches to tackling inequality and suggests fresh ways to tackle the problems of exclusion from a theological perspective. In doing so, he presents a qualified endorsement of civil society practices and notes the theological legitimisations for these actions. This chapter traces the history of diverse civil society movements and discontinuities in the civil sphere. Rieger argues for the centrality of class to contemporary forms of exclusion, while also exploring the boundaries and responsibilities of state and civil society, respectively.
