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At the end of the Cold War, a renewed interest in civil society emerged. Today, civil society, trust, democratization, social capital, and volunteerism are a primary focus among the social sciences. The end of the Cold War meant such issues in the social sciences, neglected during many years of military confrontation, came back into prominence. Voluntary groups are being given large roles, and the state is being challenged by them.
The search is on for ways to encourage democracy. Free trade and globalization are part of the equation, but much attention is being focused on the role of NGOs (non-governmental organizations). The claim is that without a healthy voluntary sector, the long-term survival of a democratic society is doubtful.
Civil Society and Democratization, a special issue of THE ANNALS, features articles written by both domestic and international scholars on this ever growing area of discussion. Articles in this issue cover these important topics:· Debates on civil society both in the United States and abroad
· Civil society and political elections
· Religion and civic engagement
· Civil society and volunteerism
This special issue is a comprehensive discussion of how political confidence is built and eroded in a world that unimaginable only ten years ago. It is an indispensable guide to the problems of sustaining the gains made by democracy since the collapse of the Soviet Union and will be of great interest to academics and professionals concerned with processes of social change.
List of contents
CONTENTS
Preface - Isidro Morales, Guillermo De Los Reyes, and Paul Rich
The Civil Society
American Voluntarism, Social Capital, and Political Culture - Paul Rich
NAFTA: The Governance of Economic Openness - Isidro Morales
Civil Society and European Integration - Finn Laursen
The Autonomy and Democracy of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and Mexico - Jose L. Garcia-Aguilar
Conditions for Democratization
Development and Civil Society in Latin America and Asia - William Ratliff
Civil Society and NAFTA: Initial Results - John S. Robey
Civil Society and Political Elections: A Culture of Distrust? - Andreas Schedler
Civil Society and Attitudes: The Virtues of Character - Armando Cintora
Entrepreneurs in Emerging Economies: Creating Trust, Social Capital, and Civil Society - M. B. Neace
Ingredients of Social Capital
The Aztec States-Society: Roots of Civil Society and Social Capital - Marco A. Almazan
Religion and Civic Engagement: A Comparative Analysis - Corwin Smidt
Death and Civil Society - Lorena Melton Young Otero
Ritual and Community Networks Among Laborer Groups in Mexico - Olga Lazcano and Gustavo Barrientos
Civil Society and Volunteerism: Lodges in Mining Communities - Guillermo De Los Reyes and Antonio Lara
