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Civil society is often expected to rise above historical and contemporary socio-economic forces such as the neoliberal economic policy and undertake the transformation of a stratified society to an egalitarian society conducive to democracy. Democracy, Civil Society and Governance is an endeavour to critically examine such expectations. The book focuses on the interplay of democracy, civil society and public policy implementation, and addresses the role of civil society in terms of the changing nature of the economy and the condition of the working class. It highlights the reinforcement of hegemonic value systems by the contemporary mainstream civil society as well as the role of the pro-poor civil society in supporting and mobilizing the disadvantaged for their rights and justice. The book also critically evaluates government policies and their implementation in the domains of education, public health, employment, social upliftment and environment.

Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Civil Society: Historical Background. 2. Civil Society Organizations and Social Activists. 3. Civil Society and Education: Reproducing Hegemony and Inequality. 4. Self-employed Workers and Their Empowerment. 5. Legal Recourse and Collective Struggles of the Subalterns. 6. Social Movements of the Non-poor. 7. Narmada Dam: Development and Displacement. Epilogue. References. Index.