Examines the concept of civil society, the role attributed to civil society in different countries, at different times and historic situations, the reasons for its surfacing and its multiple forms in political discourse.

Bruno Jobert is a Senior Researcher (emeritus) at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France.

Beate Kohler-Koch is Professor at the International Graduate School of the Social Sciences, Bremen, and former Chair for International Relations and European Affairs at the University of Mannheim, Germany.

Part 1: Civil Society and Politics 1. Contending Civil Society Frameworks 2. Framing Civil Society 3. A Democracy Bereft of Parties 4. A Social Democratic Model of Civil Society? 5. Civil Society Debates in India 6. China: Creating Civil Society Structures Top Down? Part 2: Civil Society and Public Policies 1. Incantations and Uses of Civil Society by the European Commission 2. State, Civil Society and Public Policy in Chile Today 3. Activating Civil Society 4. Civil Society and Participatory Governance in South Africa Part 3: Civil Society and Governance 1. Assessing the Claims of 'Post-Parliamentary' Governance 2. It's About Participation, Stupid. Is it? - Civil Society Concepts in Comparative Perspective