Re-Interrogating Civil Society in South Asia: Critical Perspectives from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh

Description

This book offers an overview of the history and development of civil society in three major nations of South Asia – Pakistan, India and Bangladesh – from colonial times to the present. It examines the liberalization of civil society since the 1980s, the needs it created for civil action, the professionalization of civil society organizations, and the extent to which civil society may benefit society at large in the context of local, national and global transformations in the economy, political regime and ideology. The reader will find new insights on the interaction between the liberalization of multifaceted civil societies in the three countries, presenting contrasts such as restrictions put on women’s organizations or labour unions and acceptance of religious organizations’ activities. The volume looks at forms of transfer of civil society models, representation and democratic legitimacy of civil society organizations such as nongovernmental organizations, government organized NGOs and faith-based organizations, along with the structuring of civil society through legal frames as well as female, religious, and ethnic mobilizations around language and literature. Using wide-ranging empirical data and theoretical analyses, it deals with civil society issues relating to human rights and political challenges, justice, inequality, empowerment, and the role of bureaucracy, women’s movements, and ethnic and linguistic minorities. It also presents early responses to the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 which created significant pressure on the states and on civil society. This book will be useful to scholars and researchers of political studies, development studies, sociology, public policy and governance, law and human rights, as also to professionals in think tanks, civil society activists and NGOs. Cover Half Title Endorsement Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Contributors Preface and acknowledgements Chapter 1: Dissemination of civil society in South Asia: Introductory considerations The concept of civil society in South Asia Recent changes in civil society The South Asian setting New threads in the role of civil society in South Asia India Pakistan Bangladesh Covid-19 and religion 2 Contents Notes References Part I: Multifaceted and local civil societies in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh Chapter 2: Building civil society in colonial India during the long nineteenth century Notes References Chapter 3: Civil society in India: What is it and where is it going? Civil society: definitional conundrums Evolution of civil society in India Social movements Civil society organizations/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Civil society in India: recent trends in the NGO sector Shrinking spaces? Challenges before Indian civil society Conclusion Notes References Chapter 4: Clearing misconceptions about civil society in Pakistan Civil society in Pakistan Introduction of civil society in perspective Historical background Existing laws for registration of NGOs The state of NGOs/civil society organizations 1956–2013 The state of NGOs/INGOs/civil society during the PML-N (2013–2018) and PTI (2018–) governments Civil society on social media Conclusion Notes References Interviews Chapter 5: Civil society, human rights and political antagonism in Bangladesh The state and NGOs: a perspective The wider political terrain The landscape of NGOs: the horizons of delivery Human rights organizations: the ‘radical ‘reformers Laws and politics The consequences of dissent Conclusion Notes References Part II: Civil society’s multiple hues and roles Chapter 6: Thieves and khoji s in a non-state, collectivist system of justice under transformation : An example from a village of Southern Punjab, Pakistan Systems of justice: relational collectivism and individualism Relational collectivism Individualism Interaction between individual and relational-collective systems of justice, parallel use of plural systems Thieves and khoji s: empirical data Background: thieves and their image Learning the trade Housebreakers, grain thieves and cattle rustlers Cattle rustling, individualism and relational collectivism Khojis: trackers of thieves Difference between experienced and inexperienced thieves How the khoji art is learnt Women as chors and khojis Changing scenario of the villages Introduction to overall changes Changes in panchayats Challenges for khojis and chors Concluding comments Notes References Chapter 7: Dilemmas facing civil society institutions in Pakistan: A case for organized labour The paradigm of the labour movement Historical ideological context Labour policies under different regimes Future trajectories of labour policies and implementing laws Concluding remarks and challenges Notes References Chapter 8: Bureaucratic empowerment as a tool for reproduction of inequalities Bureaucratized empowerment in practice How did we get there? Consequences of economic liberalization Class matters Notes References Chapter 9: Entertaining the possibility of society’s radical transformation : A personal view of Women Front (1974–1976) The history Published materials Backdrop Situating the ‘us’ Why WF? Ideology Action Student wing Factory work Children’s literacy school Flood relief Newsletter Cultural events Co-operation with other groups Quirks Where did it go? Impact Untitled Notes References Chapter 10: The Women’s Action Forum, Pakistan: Ideology and functioning I – Ideological choices Democracy versus dictatorship Secular and inclusive state versus a state defined by religion II – Principles of functioning Non-hierarchical functioning and democratic inclusion Non-partisan/non-political affiliation Rejection of external funding The future of the Women’s Action Forum: critical questions Postscript Notes Bibliography Chapter 11: Madrasas and religious maslak s as a case of skewed civil society in Pakistan Background Literature Political aspects of madrasas Maslak s in the larger context of civil society in Pakistan Ahl e-Hadith, Markaz al-Taiba in Muridke and Markaz Qadsia at Chowburji in Lahore Deoband Ja’afri Shi’a Islam Barelvi Jama’at Islami Other cases of collaboration and formalized networks between the maslak s Summary Perspectives for the future Notes References Chapter 12: Striving for space in Pakistan under COVID-19 Part I: religious factions Part II: tension between the state and civil society groups Regulation of NGOs Laws and policies introduced in last two decades Civil society under COVID-19 Conclusion Notes References Archival sources Newspapers and weekly magazines Part III: Civil mobilization among ethnic and linguistic minorities The chapters Note References Chapter 13: The organization of the writers’ community as a linguistic minority : The Santal tribe Approaches to civil society The Santali writers Examples of Santali writers as addressing a public sphere Associational life Examples of government regulation interference with the public sphere Notes References Chapter 14: Imagining Santal rationality as empowerment The development of Santal ideas about surplus and wealth From social critic to the idea of rationality of action Fieldwork evaluation 9 Indigenous knowledge Contexts of experience and the emergence of a rational actor How do men experience innovation? Why social knowledge proves a failure Value-oriented rationality and women’s agency Women as ritual actors Consumption, redistribution and the ambiguous gift Women’s rights and women’s agency Women’s agency and literacy Conclusion Notes References Chapter 15: Santals : Language, lyricism, emotions and identity Santali language and a history of the creation of its script A brief ethnographic note on the Santals The spoken word and sung tunes: resonances in the heart Orality against the trajectory of modernity in Santal society Notes References Index