West Asia

Civil society constitutes a range of interest groups and political parties that occupy the space between the individual and the state. The notions of democracy and civil society are inextricably linked -- democracy fosters the development of civil society as it allows freedom of association to the individuals. This space then links the individuals to the state. In the backdrop of wave of political liberalization sweeping through the region since the early 1990s, the debate on democratization in West Asia has been associated with the study of three crucial issues, namely whether civil society exists in the region? What are its strengths? What are its weaknesses and what the future holds for its existence? Evidence from the political processes of some countries of the region -- such as Jordan, Turkey, and Gulf States -- reveals that civil society has strengthened in the region in the recent past. This book is an attempt to understand the notion of civil society and its relations with democracy and state in the context of West Asia.