Call for participants 

The conference will reflect critically on the ways in which the concept of civil society is conceptualised in the ‘North’ and ‘South, the strategies of support for civil society used by European donors, on the relationships between NGOs and other groups within civil society, and the changing power relations between European and Southern NGOs in the so-called North and South.  The conference will feature a number of lively panel sessions exploring these broad themes, with papers concerning such diverse topics as discourses on security and development post-9/11, the comfortable proximity between bilateral donors and NGOs , and the role of religious and secular organisations in the provision of aid in conflict areas.

Confirmed keynote speakers include:

• Kees Biekart, (Senior Lecturer in Political Sociology, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague)
• Professor Thomas Boje, (Roskilde University, Denmark and International Coordinator of CINEFOGO)
• Professor Partha Chatterjee (Department of Anthropology, Columbia University),
• Professor Neera Chandhoke (Director of Developing Countries Research Centre, University of Delhi),
• Dr. Mike Edwards (Director, Ford Foundation Government and Civil Society Unit),
• Professor Dorothea Hilhorst, (Professor of Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction, Disaster Studies, Wageningen University, Netherlands).
• Dr. J. Allister McGregor (Director of ESRC Research Group on Well Being in Developing Countries, University of Bath)

Speakers will reflect critically on concepts such as “north” and “south”, “transitional” and “developing”, “civil society” and “political society”; debate the shifting power relations between northern and southern NGOs and reflect critically on key themes and findings of the conference.

No conference fees will be charged but participants will be expected to arrange their own travel and accommodation and to cover the costs of this themselves. Participants affiliated to a CINEFOGO institution should be able to reclaim these costs from their institution.

If you would like to attend this conference please complete the attached form and return it to ccs@lse.ac.uk by 15 February 2008.  The form could also be faxed to 44 (0)207 955 7205 or posted to Jane Schiemann, LSE Centre for Civil Society, Houghton Street, London WC2 2AE. Places are limited, so please book early.

Conference web site at LSE