2011 Convention Theme:


“Women: Leaders in Civil Society”


Why have we chosen this theme?

“Civil society is much talked about, but rarely understood. Michael Edwards explores the practical and theoretical significance of civil society - and suggests some ways through the issues surrounding its use.
It is impossible to have a conversation about politics or public policy these days without someone mentioning the magic words ‘civil society’, so one might think that people are clear what they mean when they use this term and why it is so important. Unfortunately, clarity and rigor are conspicuous by their absence in the civil society debate, a lack of precision that threatens to submerge this concept completely under a rising tide of criticism and confusion.”
We will be exploring this theme in depth during Convention.
For more information, please see: Edwards, M. (2005) 'Civil Society', the Encyclopaedia of Informal Education
www.infed.org/association/civil_society.htm