Democratization from below: Civil society in Tajikistan. (4th January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fisher Melton, Julie
• Other Names: Moldavanova Alisa guestEditor.; Onishi Tamaki guestEditor.; Toepler Stefan guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Public administration and development. Volume 43:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 38
• Page End: 48
• Publication Date: 2023-01-04
• Subjects: civil society -- democratization -- grassroots organizations -- NGOs -- Tajikistan; Developing countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Développement communautaire -- Pays en voie de développement -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Administration -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions économiques -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions sociales -- Périodiques; 350
• DOI: 10.1002/pad.2001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-2075

Abstract

Abstract: A decade ago an exploration of civil society in South Africa, Tajikistan and Argentina highlighted its role in supporting democratization. Despite continuing global autocratic trends since then, South Africa and Argentina have remained vibrant democracies with strong civil societies. Tajikistan, in contrast, remains autocratic, and civil society has apparently weakened in recent years. However, at the grassroots level a combination of traditional grassroots organizations and Internet organizing provides a more complex picture of the relationships between local participation, ties with other civil society organizations, democratization and development. The purpose of this paper is to highlight both these relationships and the contrast between local democratization and national autocracy.