Global Civil Society: Transnational Networks of Mutual Affinity

Abstract

The seeds of political emancipation may be rooted in global civil society. Transnational social movements are now a permanent feature of the world political landscape (della Porta et al., 1999: 206). Countless social movements habitually network across state borders to exchange information, to debate political issues, to develop strategies and policies, and to solicit transnational support (Cohen and Rai, 2000). Networking seems to typify the spirit of the “information age,” but it is not a twenty-first century invention. Historical precursors for transnational activism are vividly illustrated by Keck and Sikkink’s analyses of the Abolition Movement and the International Suffrage Movement (1998). In addition, Aravamudan’s (1999) analysis of colonial-era literature, Gilroy’s (1993) discussion of black vernacular cultures and Linebaugh and Rediker’s (2000) study on the multiethnic Atlantic working class expose the oft-neglected deliberative history of other subordinate groups. However, transborder networking has since acquired more visibility and greater political prominence. This transformation is partly a by-product of the increased accessibility and global scope of ICT.