Pressed to defend their very existence, civic groups and their supporters face a question they often neglected in earlier, less hostile times—from where does civil society derive its legitimacy? Or more bluntly, how is legitimacy earned? In donor and policy debates, two ideas repeatedly re-surface—that civic groups need to develop wider constituencies and more local funding. A more comprehensive examination has been lacking. Carnegie’s Civic Research Network published a series of essays by leading scholars and activists on efforts around the world to improve and defend civil society’s legitimacy in a variety of political and social settings. Read more here.
Source: Oxfam / Carnegie Endowment for International Peace