Critical Mass: The Emergence of Global Civil Society

Foreword

Critical Mass is the appropriate title for this excellent study of the emergence of global civil society. This book is the fifth in the Studies in International Governance Series, commissioned by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). The series emphasizes timeliness, policy relevance, and academic rigour. The editors of the present volume, James Walker and Andrew Thompson, have commissioned work by some of the leading analysts of the emergence of global civil society. Both historians, Walker and Thompson are well aware of the antecedents to global society such as the international movement to ban slavery over two hundred years ago. They recognize, however, that the global scale, the penetration, and the presence and effectiveness of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have multiplied since the concept of NGOs first emerged as the United Nations System took form in the 1940s. John Clark, one of the authors, suggests that in the post–Cold War period civil society has become “the third superpower,” which galvanizes “public opinion in the management of world affairs.” Clark and others acknowledge that many governments and analysts challenge the legitimacy of the claims of civil society because, unlike parliaments , civil society organizations lack a demonstrable mandate. Yet even critics acknowledge the impact of civil society upon global economics and politics . Critical Mass demonstrates how the campaign to establish an international criminal court depended not upon leadership by a particular state but upon international networks, legal activists, and international NGOs. Other chapters demonstrate how civil society has gained a place within the deliberations of international financial organizations where the claims of expertise and security had long predominated. Other chapters study the differences between North and South and the Arab World and the West. The final section looks to the future and the possibilities for a charter for a Global Civil Society Forum. The reader understands how global FOREWORD xi civil society’s emergence now represents a major innovation in international governance. The Centre for International Governance Innovation recognizes the importance of global civil society in its own work. Most of our workshops and conferences, including those whose proceedings are the foundation for the other books in the Studies in International Governance Series, have significant civil society participation. In the past, government officials, retired practitioners, and academics would dominate discussion of important global issues at a think tank. Today, civil society organizations are recognized internationally for their expertise, research ability, and policy relevance . Critical Mass illustrates how a transformation has occurred in the work of organizations like CIGI. Moreover, through its IGLOO knowledge network, CIGI is playing a major role in linking together global civil society organizations. With the advanced communication possibilities that IGLOO provides, civil society organizations can achieve even greater range and effectiveness. There is no innovation in governance that will be more meaningful in the twenty-first century. John English xii FOREWORD ...