Contending Conceptualizations of 'Civil Society' and Their Implications For Democracy and Peace in East Asia

2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 14320031
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Politics
• Research Institution: Hiroshima Peace Institute, Hisoshima City University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUI Haruhiro Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute, Professor, 広島平和研究所(付置研究所), 教授 (20272164)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TOGO Ikuko Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute, Assistant Professor, 広島平和研究所(付置研究所), 講師 (30305792) ; MIZUMOTO Kazumi Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute, Associate Professor, 広島平和研究所(付置研究所), 助教授 (20305791) ; P SCHERRER Christian Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute, Professor, 広島平和研究所(付置研究所), 教授 (10347619) ; HOSHINO Toshiya Osaka University, International & Public Policy Dep., Professor, 大学院・国際公共政策研究科, 教授 (70304045) ; AKIYAMA Nobumasa Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute, Assistant Professor, 広島平和研究所(付置研究所), 講師 (50305794)
• Project Period (FY): 2002 – 2003
• Keywords: Civil society / conflict resolution / conflict prevention / peacebuilding

Research Abstract

The objective of this research was to assess the usefulness and appropriateness of the notion of 'civil society,' which emerged from the Western social and historical context, in the analyses of Asian political development and post-conflict situation. The research further looked into a possibility of universality of the notion as well as the role of civil society as a factor for structural changes in the conflict resolution process.
Members of the project exchanged their views at meetings and through e-mail communications, and conducted field trips to East Timor, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Central Asia, South Korea. The project held a joint workshop with the Tampere Peace Research Institute (TAPRI) on the role of civil society in conflict resolution. The invitation of TAPRI made it possible to have comparative views and analyses between Europe and Asian cases. The report of the project was compiled based upon the fruits of the workshop. The report first reviewed theoretical aspec ts of evolution of civil society both in the Asian context and in the context of security. Then the roles of civil society at the post conflict peace-building as well as preventing conflict were discussed. It also analyzed the development of civil society in assistance policy formulation process.
The research depicted that the role of civil society is strongly being aware of by both donors (or international actors) and beneficiaries (or local communities) in Asian cases of conflict resolution and peace building although it is an extremely 'western' notion. There is always a possibility of friction between donors and local communities, deriving from discrepancies between local social norms and a 'western' notion of civil society. It also should be pointed out a possible emergence of dependency relationship between them. However, the research found the increasing importance of the role of civil society in prevention and resolution of conflict as civil society actors play significant roles in various ways such as providing public services instead of weak governance and constructing communication channels between communities for spontaneous mediation.