This book not only draws together the concepts of gender and civil society, but also adopts an international perspective, highlighting the diverse trajectories of women organizing in different country contexts and the historical, cultural and political specificities of civil society.

Incorporated into the lexicons of academics, policymakers and grassroots activists, of multilateral development agencies and local NGOs alike, "civil society" has become a topic of widespread discussion. But is there in fact any common understanding of the term? How useful is it when applied to the South, and what difference does it make to bring the concept into the debate on development? This book explores the complex relationships among civil society, the state and market, in the context of democratic development. Drawing on case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America, it also...

This unique collection explores the different organizational forms, strategies and tactics that activists adopt. The authors examine how established trades unions struggle to reform, how non-governmental public actors negotiate various dilemmas, and the efforts of non-governmental public actors to secure justice.