How does civic action provide possibilities in the search for new alternatives to politics and political engagement? 

This issue of Development, the quarterly journal of the Society for International Development  (SID), assesses the potential and unpacks the myths around new modalities of mobilization including social media and Occupy and other Tahrir-style public protests on social change.  

The journal focuses around the question ‘What should we make of the wave of citizen action protests that swept the globe in 2011?’ As the editorial makes clear, civic action is moving away from institutional campaigns and projects of the traditional meta movements.  What are we to say at these new actions of ‘unruly politics’ and mass mobilization fueled by social media and drenched in revolutionary discourse. In an increasingly (inter)connected world, political processes and the place of the citizen within it are becoming more complex, amplifying the need for better analytical frameworks and critical reflection on civic agency – much of which is offered by the contributions to the journal.

This edition of Development, produced in partnership with Hivos, offers innovative frameworks and penetrating case studies that enable deeper reflection on the evolving role of citizens in global politics.

Table of contents | Editorial | Introduction

SID , the Society for International Development www.sidint.net is a global network of individuals and institutions committed to the promotion of participative, pluralistic and sustainable development. Since its inception in 1957, SID has sought to facilitate dialogue between different development actors and bridge the gap between development theory and practice. Its journal Development is the flagship publication of the Society and has been published continuously for 55 years. It enjoys a broad readership within the development community and is published by Palgrave Macmillan on behalf of the Society.

Hivos, the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation www.hivos.nl is a Dutch NGO that works with civic organizations, activists and social movements in developing countries towards a world in which all citizens – both men and women – have equal access to resources and opportunities for development. The Hivos Knowledge Programme promotes collaborative ventures of activists, development practitioners and academics to develop, disseminate and apply new critical knowledge on the complex developmental challenges of our time.

LAUNCH EVENT 

'Citizenship for change' will be jointly presented by the SID Netherland Chapter and Hivos this evening  on the occasion of the  SID NL lecture 'Rethinking the state in the context of financial, environmental and social chaos' delivered by Hilary Wainwright. 

UPCOMING EVENTS