Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Global Civil Society
Module Code	LG354
School	School of Law & Government
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: Kenneth McDonagh Semester 2: Kenneth McDonagh Autumn: Kenneth McDonagh
Module Teacher	Kenneth McDonagh
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

The aim of this module is to provide students with a thorough grounding in the debates surrounding global civil society, enabling them to develop their own perspectives on the topic. It will introduce students to the history of civil society at the national level and its contested relationship with states and markets, before critically assessing its contemporary expansion to the global level and how this relates to broader processses of globalisation and global governance.The module will enable students to assess the role of civil society actors (e.g. NGOs, social movements and trade unions) in key areas such as human rights, the environment, security and social & economic justice, drawing on a diverse range of theoretical approaches from liberalism to constructivism, Marxism, Critical Theory and postmodernism.Case studies of international NGO campaigns, the anti-globalisation movement/World Social Forum and UN-civil society relations will all be examined, with particular attention to North-South issues and power relations.

Learning Outcomes

1. Distinguish the main theoretical approaches to global civil society.
2. Appraise the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
3. Explain the differences and similarities between approaches.
4. Examine the relationship between global civil society, states, markets and global governance.
5. Analyse key issues from a theoretically-informed perspective.
6. Apply theoretical approaches to concrete examples and case studies.
7. Connect global civil society theory to wider theories of Politics, IR and globalisation.

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Lecture	22	2 hours of lectures per week for 11 weeks (i.e. every week except reading week)
Independent learning	103	All independent study time including reading, researching and writing essays etc.
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introduction.
What is Civil Soicety - A History of Theory & Practice.

Civil Society goes Global.
Globalisation & Civil Society since the 1990s.

Approaches to Global Civil Society I.
Liberalism, Constructivism & Social Movement Theory.

Who is Civil Society?.
NGOs & social movements.

Key Issues & Campaigns.
Human rights, environment & security.

Civil Society & Global Governance.
NGOs & the UN, social movements & the IFIs.

Another World is Possible.
The anti-globalisation/global justice movement & the World Social Forum.

North/South issues.
Funding, power & partnership.

Approaches to Civil Society II.
Critical approaches - Marxism, Critical Theory & postmodernism.

Future prospects.
Governance, reform or transformation?.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Essay	n/a	50%	Week 25
Essay	n/a	50%	Sem 2 End

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Howell & Pearce: 2002, Civil Society and Development: A Critical Exploration,
Kaviraj & Khilnani: 2001, Civil society,
Kaldor, Mary: 2003, Global Civil Society: An Answer to War,
Keck & Sikkink: 1998, Activists beyond borders : advocacy networks in international politics,
Baker, Gideon & Chandler, David (eds.): 2005, Global civil society: Contested futures, Routledge,
Germain & Kenny: 2005, The Idea of Global Civil Society: Politics and Ethics in a Globalizing Era,
Keane, John: 2003, Global Civil Society?, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
Holloway, John: 2005, Change the world without taking power,
Colas, Alejandro: 2001, International Civil Society,
Tarrow, Sidney: 1998, Power in Movement: Social Movements and Contentious Politics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
Stiles, Kendall et al.: 2000, Global Institutions and Local Empowerment:, MacMillan, Basingstoke,