Wow! eBook
The politics of civil society (Second edition): Big Society and Small Government 2nd Edition
Author(s): Fred Powell (Author)
- Publisher: Policy Press
- Publication Date: 24 April 2013
- Edition: 2nd
- Language: English
- Print length: 224 pages
- ISBN-10: 1447307151
- ISBN-13: 9781447307150
Book Description
2011 shook the world politically. The Occupy Movement, Los Indignados and the Greek Aganaktismenoi (outraged) reacted to zombie capitalism in the West, while the Arab Spring challenged political tyrannies in the Maghreb-Mashreq region.Democracy became the meta-question of the moment. New communicative technologies unleashed a tidal wave of civic protest that spread across the globe, bringing new political actors on to the street. But what does this protest movement mean? Are we on the threshold of a transformation in global political consciousness? Is civil society the necessary counter-power that is democratising democracy from within? Or are we living through an apocalyptic terminal phase of civilisation? In the second, revised edition of this indispensable book, the author looks behind the mirror of power and differentiates the real from the fake in policy and politics. It offers an original and compelling history of the present and will have wide appeal to a broad cross-disciplinary audience.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A book that will be on the reading lists of political science undergraduates…[and] it should be read by those interested in the development and politics of the welfare state” Journal of Social Policy
“Offers analytic tools to comprehend the economic and political context within which we live and invites us to explore the inherent complexity of civil society activities.” Voluntary Sector Review
“The book explores a great deal of very complex theoretical debate and does so in a very accessible manner……a lively read and a thorough investigation of the contemporary literature.” Community Development Journal
About the Author
Fred Powell is Professor of Social Policy and Dean of Social Science at the University College Cork, National University of Ireland. He has published extensively on civil society, political thought and citizen participation.
