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Thread: What does the coronavirus mean for civil society globally? In a new article, Tom Carothers, @YoungsRichard & I explore several emerging trends. https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/04/21/civil-society-and-coronavirus-dynamism-despite-disruption-pub-81592
In short: While there has rightly been a lot of focus on the threat of executive overreach & new restrictions on civic freedoms, the pandemic is also catalyzing new forms of civic solidarity and mobilization.
We see the following patterns:
Creation of new mutual aid initiatives
Repurposing of existing CSOs to respond to urgent needs
Extensive efforts to fight disinformation about the virus
Emergence of new advocacy roles and tactics
Shifts in protests activity
Creation of new mutual aid initiativesRepurposing of existing CSOs to respond to urgent needsExtensive efforts to fight disinformation about the virusEmergence of new advocacy roles and tacticsShifts in protests activity
However, pivotal questions remain unanswered. Will new aid efforts boost civil society legitimacy in the face of govt attacks, or result in backlash? Can local initiatives scale up to the national level? Will it be possible to shift from emergency aid to broader reforms?
What does this mean for int. aid right now? We emphasize the need for funding flexibility (now more than ever), building civic participation into top-down responses, and using the crisis to strongly push back against anti-civil society narratives & restrictions. @CarnegieDCG
Thanks to our amazing Civic Research Network for their insights, and watch out for a longer report by the group in the coming months. @mariakoomen @Faiyla @HafsaHalawa & @jamesmsavage & everyone else!
