Political Science G8434x
Latin American Politics in Comparative Perspective
Civil Society Associations and Political Institutions
Department of Political Science
Columbia University
Fall 1998
Tues. 2:10-4
IA 802
Douglas A Chalmers
Office: 829 IA
Office Hours: Tues 10-12
854-6675; chalmers@columbia.edu
This colloquium will explore theories about democracy and the associations of civil society (NGOs, voluntary organizations, grassroots organizations and other non-governmental, non-profit, non-party organizations). We will explore how these changing and diverse organizations do (or might) fit into politics and constitute a part of democratic institutions.
This is not a survey of Latin American politics, even on this specialized topic. This topic is important in Latin America because the rapid expansion of non-governmental organizations is a relatively new phenomenon and the challenge to define their relationship to politics and the state is currently on the agenda. But Latin America is not the object of study. Rather, it is the main source of examples and cases. Students looking for a class providing an introduction or survey of Latin American politics should enroll in Latin American Politics, Political Science 4461.
The assumption of the course is that an important, (but by no means dominant) element in citizenship and political participation lies in the channels leading through the associations of civil society. If that is the case, the manner in which they are built into the political process will have a major effect on the stability, effectiveness, empowerment and justice of any democratic system. More, despite their changing and sometimes transitory nature, they, or at least the laws, procedures and practices that govern their role in the political system, constitute an essential part of the institutions of a working democracy.
The course will approach this complex topic from two directions. In the readings, lectures and class discussion, we will look at a series of insights, theories, and frameworks about state-civil society relationships to explore their utility in understanding emerging institutions, identifying the factors shaping outcomes, and, therefore, providing the basis for institutional critique and design.
The second approach will be through case studies of how varied sets of associations relate to the state or states. Each participant in the colloquium will identify such a set of associations, and present two kinds of analyses for class discussion. The first will discuss the actual state of relevant institutional arrangements. The second will elaborate on that discussion by integrating ideas from the theoretical literature.
The main requirement for the course, beyond participation in the discussions, will be a research paper based on the presentations just mentioned.
Notes on the presentations and papers
Due Sept 29: identify set of associations and discuss sources for research
You may chose any set of associations focused on any criteria, such as:
by jurisdiction: e.g., the NGO’s working in a specified province or state
by purpose: Non-profits working in public health programs of some kind
by political relevance: e.g., NGOs working in an authoritarian system
by political identification: Groups and organizations linked with a particular political party
Two cautions: identify a set of associations with enough in common so that discussing their links with politics will have some coherence, not be a simple catalogue.
Second, do not pick one, or a very few particular associations, but a group of them. An important question about institutionalization will concern how the system deals with the emergence and disappearance of associations in a particular arena.
Include a discussion of the materials you have located to ground your analysis.
Due Oct 13: Description of Association Set and its link with politics
Sketch the aspects of the associations and their relationships with politics that are important for their long-term role, its impact on democracy. The paper should probably touch on each of the five dimensions noted in the paper by Chalmers "What is it about Associations...?" (See assignment for Sept 15).
Due Nov 24: First Version of Paper
This will be the basis for presentations in class
Due Dec 1 : Final paper due
Schedule and Readings
Sept 8 Introduction
Sept 15 Civil Society and Democracy
Cohen, Jean L. and Andrew Arato, Civil Society and Political Theory, MIT Press, (Cambridge, 1992) Introduction, Chapter 1 (pp. 1-82)
Chalmers, Douglas, "What Is It About Associations in Civil Society That Promotes Democracy?" (Xeroxed)
Benhabib, Seyla, " Towards a Deliberative Model of Democratic Legitimacy", in Benhabib, (ed.) Democracy and Difference, (Princeton, 1996)
Sept 22 Institutions
Ostrom, Elinor, Larry Schroeder and Susan Wynne, Institutional Incentives and Sustainable Development: Infrastructure Policies in Perspective, Westview(Boulder, CO , 1993), chs 5,6,9
North, Douglass C., "Institutions and a Transaction Cost Theory of Exchange", Alt, James E, and Kenneth Shepsle (eds.) Perspectives on Positive Political Economy Cambridge (NY, 1990)
Schmitter, Philippe C. "The Consolidation of Democracy and Representation of Social Groups" American Behavioral Scientist, 35:4/5, March/June 1992 pp 422-449
Sept 29 Social Capital, Pluralism
Paper due: one-three pages indicating association set and sources
Putnam, Robert, Making Democracy Work, Princeton U Press, (Princeton, 1993) Chapters 1, 4 & 6
Putnam, Robert D. "The strange disappearance of civic America", American Prospect no 24 (Winter '96) p. 34-48
Critiques of Putnam's argument in American Prospect no 26 (May/June '96)
Oct 6 Social Movements
Doug McAdam, John D. McCarthy, Mayer N. Zald (eds.) Comparative Perspectives On Social Movements New York : Cambridge University Press, 1996., Intro and Chapters 2, 7 & 12
Escobar, Arturo and Sonia E. Alvarez, (eds.), The Making of Social Movements in Global Perspective, (Boulder: Westview Press, 1992)
Tarrow, Sidney, Power in Movement: Social Movements, Collective Action and Politics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994)
Oct 13 Parties and Party systems
short paper describing the set of groups due
Mainwaring, Scott and Thomas R. Scully (eds.) Building Democratic Institutions: Party Systems in Latin America, Stanford, (Stanford, 1995)
Kirchheimer, Otto "The Transformation of the Western European Party Systems," in LaPalombara and Weiner, eds., Political Parties and Political Development, pp. 177-200.
Kathleen Bruhn "The Seven-Month Itch? Neoliberal Politics, Popular Movements, and the Left in Mexico" in Chalmers, et al, (eds.) The New Politics of Inequality in Latin America, New York (Oxford, 1997)
Oct 20 Presentations on Association Sets
Oct 27 Networks
Chalmers, D.A., Scott B. Martin, and Kerianne Piester "Associative Networks: New Structures of Representation for the Popular Sectors?" in Chalmers, et al, (eds.) The New Politics of Inequality in Latin America, New York (Oxford, 1997)
Kenis, Patrick and Volker Schneider, "Policy Networks and Policy Analysis: Scrutinizing a New Analytical Toolbox", in Marin, B. And Renata Mayntz (eds.) Policy Networks: Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Considerations, Campus Verlag (Frankfurt am Main, 1991p. 25-59
Nov 10 Embeddedness
Evans, Peter. "Government action, social capital and development: reviewing the evidence on synergy". World Development v. 24 (June '96) p. 1119-32
Evans, Peter "The State as Problem and Solution: Predation, Embedded Autonomy and Structural Change", In Haggard, Stephan and Kaufman, Robert, The Politics of Economic Adjustment, Princeton U Press (Princeton, 1992) p. 139 (41pp)
Evans, Peter, Embedded Autonomy: states and industrial transformation, Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, 1995
Nov 17 NGOs and Transitions
Sikkink, Kathryn, "Human rights, principled issue-networks, and sovereignty in
Latin America". International Organization v. 47 (Summer '93) p. 411-41
Nov 24 NGOs and Development
first version of paper due
Carroll, Thomas F. Intermediary NGOs: The Supporting Link in Grassroots Development, Introduction, Chapters 1, 7, 10 (total: 50 pp.)
Tendler, Judith, Good Government in the Tropics, Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, 1997) Ch 1 &6
Bebbington, Anthony, et al. Non-Governmental Organization and the State in Latin America: Rethinking roles in sustainable agricultural development, Routledge, (London, 1993) ch. 9, pp. 199-214
Dec 1 Presentations
Final papers due
Dec 8 Presentations