ABSTRACT

A prominent development in the move from "international organization" to "global governance" has been the growing involvement of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society actors more generally. This chapter examines forms, consequences, and challenges of civil society involvement in contemporary global governance. It considers definitions of civil society and details the various involvements of civil society actors in global regulatory processes. The chapter assesses the substantive impacts of civil society interventions in global governance—that is, how NGOs and other civil society groups affect institutional developments, agendas, decisions, discourses, and deeper structures of global governance. It also considers the relationship between civil society and legitimacy in global governance. NGOs, social movements, business forums, research institutes, and other civil society associations engage with global governance in many ways, both direct and indirect. The chapter concludes with several suggestions for future enhancement of civil society engagement of global-scale regulation.