ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews recent research on global civil society and the global public sphere in world historical context, with particular attention to transnational social movements and their relationship to the globalization of economic and political institutions. Following Kaldor (2003: 44–45) we define civil society broadly as “the medium through which one or many social contracts between individuals, both women and men, and the political and economic centers of power are negotiated and reproduced.” The concept refers to the domestic realm of institutions, such as private schools and families, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business firms, informal networks, social clubs, non-state religious organizations, unions, and social movement organizations (SMOs). This is true regardless of the content of the political orientation of such institutions and organizations. Civil society thus includes corporate-sponsored think tanks, conservative churches, fascist and racist organizations, as well as more politically moderate and progressive types of social and political groups. Because they are uncivil in their tactics, terrorist and other armed political groups and actors are excluded from the concept of “civil society,” however.
