The depoliticisation of civil society - CCS UKZNccs.ukzn.ac.za/files/The depoliticisation of civil...
Transcript of The depoliticisation of civil society - CCS UKZNccs.ukzn.ac.za/files/The depoliticisation of civil...
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The depoliticisation of civil society in post-communism
Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu Natal28 March 2013
Ondřej Horký-Hlucháň
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Aims of the presentation
1. Introduce the political context of post-communist countries
2. Present the main characteristics of the CE civil society...
3. … and the consequences for development NGOs4. Start a debate on the similitudes and differences
of post-communist and post-apartheid: what can we learn from each other?
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1968
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1989
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Characteristics of CE civil society I
1. Strong anti-communism → discrediting the progressive agenda (especially in Czechia)
2. Civil society initially funded by donors and/or the state → low criticism, technical fixes
3. Key role of the judiciary → right to information, participation of civil society in territorial planning
4. Weak membership in discredited political parties → weak intra-party democracy
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Characteristics of CE civil society II
5. Voluntarism discredited through compulsory participation → monetary donations, mistrust in activism
6. Professionalisation of NGOs → move from direct action to advocacy activities (especially environmental NGOs)
7. Paradoxical repoliticisation by the EU → opening hot issues such as racism against the Roma minority
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CE in North/South relations and development cooperation
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CE-South flows similar to those of former capitals with colonies
Orientalism (Said) and post-development (Escobar) apply → 6 stereotypes identified in the Czech media
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Primitive Africa Linear history, the South equals distant past and Nature
North-South distance increased, Southern societies static and unchangable
Non-African Africa Any Northern elements in the exotic South represented as alien
South unchangeable or reformable only by the North
Heartbreaking/shocking story
Passive people in the South are helped by and grateful to Northern donors / Life in the South is horrible and inhuman
People in the South victimised outside the societal and political contexts, only aid can help them.
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Depoliticised aid Development as a technical issue
Politics and policy coherence unquestioned
Western article Seemingly dealing with the South but out of context and related exclusively to the North
Aid and charity as a placebo
Broken stereotypes Explicitly broken stereotypes, Southern societies represented as dynamic and complex
Initiates reflexion but sometimes mirror-like
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The depoliticisation of the Czech development cooperation I
„Compulsory altruism“ before 1989 Transition and “return to the West“ Development cooperation commitments as a
part of OECD and EU accession packages Donor identity = Western/Northern identity Low development awareness and private
donorship, aid perceived as charity Civil society dependent on the state and
uncritical 17
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The depoliticisation of the Czech development cooperation II
Development cooperation presented as a technical and quantitative issue.
Closed development constituency disconnected from the society, use for particular interests
North-South relations absent in political space But the paradoxical repoliticisation by the EU
The “return to the West” marginalised and narrowed the relations with the South 18
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Conclusion
The double experience of Central Europeans as “(self)colonised” in East/West relations and “coloniser” in North/South relations bears the potential for a better understanding of the South
However, the dominance and attraction of the West and need for a Western identity leads to „compulsory altruism“, depoliticization of the relations with the South and to a limited understanding of solidarity
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Questions
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How to repoliticise North-South relations beyond development aid?
How to increase political accountability to disadvantaged communities?