F1210 Rediscovering the Civil Society (F1210)

Monday 11.00-12.30
Wednesday 11.00-12.30

The idea of a civil society is popular, and for obvious reasons. Western liberal democracies are nowadays notoriously diagnosed as having reached a critical stage and their ability to meet imminent political challenges, from migration and demographic changes to energy supply and climate change, is already doubted. While they once may have sparked hopes that a modern society could commit itself simultaneously to freedom and equality they now seem rather to give reasons for concern. Some almost have lost faith and claim that western democracies are no longer democracies in the classical sense but rather are now 'post-democracies' (C. Crouch) where public decision-making is more a simulation of democratic mechanisms than an endeavor committed to public weal.

But irrespective of the details of these on-going discussions in political science, the idea that a 'civil society' would be the appropriate rectification of the tendency in modern democracies to expose themselves to political and/or economic crises has gained momentum. The ongoing transformation of western societies, prompted, amongst others, by the forces of globalization, has abetted increased concerns about fragmentation and the erosion of social cohesion in modern democracies. This worry, and a general skepticism concerning the ability of national governments to cope with the problems on a global agenda, make the idea of a civil society, and even of a global civil society, all the more attractive as a cure for the ailments of liberal democracies.

However, the very idea of a civil society is at least as elusive as it is promising, and different uses of the term may differ widely in meaning and orientation.

Some clarification may be gained from a look to the philosophical past where the rich heritage of political philosophy provides content for the notion of a civil society. Accordingly, the course will concentrate, in particular, on the contribution which the Scottish Enlightenment has made to the concept of a society in which the freedom of the individual yields itself to public well-being. It had been, David Hume, Adam Smith, and Adam Ferguson who took up ideas from classical republicanism, giving them a distinctively modern bend, thereby setting a distinctive agenda for a detailed exploration of the idea of a civil society. But the writings of the Scottish Enlightenment shall be put in perspective, a perspective which ranges from antiquity to contemporary political philosophy: starting with writings of M. Cicero the course itinerary will lead via the Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, and especially Adam Ferguson, to present-day philosophers struggling with the foundations of modern, democratic societies between liberalism and communitarianism.

Learning Outcomes

The course attempts to revive classical republican ideas in order to clarify recent invocations of the civil society. At the same time, an introduction to present-day discussions in political philosophy will be achieved.

Teaching and Evaluation Methods

Lecture with discussions in class. Students' presentations (in some instances connected with and benefiting from other VIU courses) will be an integral part of the course.