Ford foundation 的 Micheal Edward 寫了一本小冊子叫 Civil Society... 其實自西雅圖的反世貿會議以來, Civil Society / 民間社會已成為世貿與世銀這些全球組織的吸納對像. 2004年, WTO己發表了一份叫Transparency and dialogue with civil society的工作方向報告.
當民間社會的論述進入官方話語, 意味著些什麼呢?
印度政治學者Neera Chandhoke透過批評Micheal Edward的小冊子討論這問題.
Micheal Edward 把民間社會界定為:
- as a description of varieties of association
- as a value advocating the advantages of cooperation
- as democratic ecosystem – a public sphere in which engagement with the whole future and shape of society takes place (or could take place).
而Neera Chandhoke的質疑是:
1. But in what sense are NGOs representative? Do they even consult the constituencies they cater for and, above all, who are they responsible to?
2. in a morally plural world, visions of a good society will be multiple and may be incommensurate. How do we arbitrate between competing visions of the good? For many in the Islamic community in France, “truth” and perhaps “beauty” lie in women wearing the veil; for the French government they lie in women not wearing the veil.
3. The idea that it is our job as responsible citizens to sustain a moral conversation is attractive. But is it fair and just? The public sphere can exclude certain voices and marginalise others...
整個討論也涉及政黨和團體所面對的representation crisis(香港大概也步入這境地), 以及如何實踐開於政治(open politics)的問題, 有興趣可以細看.