Global Civil Society and (Re-)Globalization The Latest Chapter in a Long Story

In this chapter we focus on global civil society (GCS), intended as a heterogeneous and loosely networked group of those non-state actors engaged in peaceful efforts to shape global politics both within and across national borders. Based in particular on Mary Kaldor’s dichotomy between liberal and activist components of GCS, we look at the phenomenon in a dynamic perspective, considering the path of “constant becoming” that characterizes GCS. We do so adopting a concept developed in the field of social movement studies, that of “cycle of contention”: the same idea can be effectively applied to the ebbs and flows of GCS. After a theoretical description of the usual processes, mechanisms, and characteristics assumed by a cycle of contention, we offer some practical examples, and in particular we focus on the dynamic evolution of the environmental/climate movement, looking at its more recent expressions. In fact, the evolution of the environmental/climate movement embodies the dynamic process at the center of our reflection, and highlights the connections with other key recent issues that involved GCS as a socio-political actor.