GEN1000 Perspectives on General Education
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Global civil society is an instrumental force in the construction of global regulation. It is also a realm of contention among state actors, and between state actors and non-state actors. This module explores the relationship of civil society to aspects of development at the global level. This module examines how local lives and social, economic and political problems are shaped in local contexts and practices in the interplay among different actors at the international level. Students are able to comprehend a broad view of the theory and debates behind global civil society and case studies of specific transnational networks, movements, and coalitions. The module also examines the management practices, structural issues, policy preferences and advocacies of those international non-governmental organizations.
Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
a. describe the theoretical foundation and historical evolution of global civil society;
b. analyse the characteristics and functions of various civil society actors;
c. examine the critical role of global civil society in key global and regional issues;
d. critically evaluate the power relationship and management practices within various INGOs; and
e. assess the limits and possibilities of national policies and global civil society
1. Civil Society: Theoretical Foundations and Historical Evolution
1.1 Normative theories and justifications
1.2 Descriptive theories: Civil society as the Third sector
1.3 Civil society in the global age
2. Characteristics of Global Civil Society
2.1 Global advocacy networks
2.2 Transnational activism
2.3 Online public sphere
3. Role of global civil society in key issues
3.1 Democracy, human and civil rights
3.2 War and humanitarian crisis
3.3 Political consumerism
4. International nongovernmental organizations in the global age
4.1 Functions
4.2 Power and Management
4.3 INGOs and state interactions
4.4 INGOs and market interactions
1. Written project (20%)
2. Group based presentation (30%)
3. Examination (50%)
1. Byrne, D., (2003). The Dimensions of Global Citizenship. London/Portland: Frank Class.
2. Castells, M. (2009). Communication Power. New York: Oxford University Press.
3. Cohen, J. L. & Arato, A. (1992). Civil Society and Political Theory. Cambridge: MIT Press.
4. Colas, A. (2002). International Civil Society. Cambridge: Polity.
5. Edwards, M. (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Civil Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
6. Glasius, M., Kaldor, M. & Anheier, H. (Eds.). (2006). Global Civil Society 2005/6. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
7. Isin, E. and Nyers, P. (2014). Routledge Handbook of Global Citizenship Studies. London: Routledge.
8. Joseph, J. (2014). The Social in the Global: Social Theory, Governmentality and Global Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
9. Kaldor, M., (2003). Global Civil Society – An Answer to War. Cambridge: Polity Press.
10. Kiwan, D. (Eds.) (2018). The Palgrave Handbook of Global Citizenship and Education. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
11. Lipschutz, R. (Ed.) (2006). Civil Society and Social Movements. London: Ashgate.
12. Mathews, G. (2011). Ghetto at the centre of the world: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press.
13. Scholte, J. A. (2011). Building Global Democracy? Civil Society and Accountable Global Governance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
14. Siu, H. F., & Ku, A. S. (2008). Hong Kong mobile: Making a global population. Hong Kong University Press.
