Civil Society, Public Institutions and Governance

Cities have often been described as a seedbed of democratic values and ideals. A healthy relationship between active civil society and stable public institutions is a crucial factor for creating a democratic society. More recently, however, it has been undermined by various challenges, such as economic disparity, residential segregation, multiculturalism, authoritarianism, and political apathy. With this normative concern in mind, the panel assembled papers exploring the relationship between civil society and public institutions in a variety of historical and cultural context.