The Emergence of Civil Society Networks

  • Gianluca Sgueo
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Studies in European Economic Law and Regulation book series (SEELR, volume 8)

Abstract

This chapter explores the factors that drive the emergence of formalised networks/coalitions of civil society actors in the supranational legal arena. Seven factors are key. The first is the dramatic increase of problems of global – rather than local – dimensions that are dealt with by civil society activists. Exemplary are environmental protection and human rights. The second factor is the diffusion of technology, which has decreased the costs of trans-boundary communications, providing means for non-state actors to communicate with greater frequency. The globalisation of mass media is the third factor that is driving the tendency to a networked civil society. The fourth factor consists of the dramatic increase of transportation of goods and people around the world. A fifth catalyst of a networked civil society is globalized knowledge. This has enabled a growth in interactions between students, scholars, universities, think tanks and other centres of cultural activity, and is shaping the identity of future civil society leaders. Fundraising is the sixth factor behind the emergence of civil society coalitions. Finally, but decisively, this Chapter explains the growing prominence of coalitions of civil society actors by addressing the benefits for both non-state actors and supranational regulators that result from joining into a network. Benefits for civil society actors include increased visibility and opportunity for advocacy. Benefits for supranational regulators include the chance to improve their accountability/legitimacy and reduce costs.

Keywords

Civil Society Global Issue Civil Society Actor Tropical Deforestation International Terrorism 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Gianluca Sgueo
    • 1
  1. 1.New York UniversityFlorenceItaly

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