Global Links, Local Roots: Varieties of Transnationalization and Forms of Civic Integration
Author(s)
Stark, David; Vedres, Balazs; Bruszt, Laszlo
Abstract
Since 1989, the zone of civil society in East Central Europe, once harshly suppressed under communism, experienced extraordinary growth. Where civic associations once operated in a gray zone of underground or semi-underground status, literally tens of thousands are now officially registered as associations promoting civic benefits. While these organizations were sinking their roots into the domestic society – building ties to their members and constituents as well as to other organizations – they were also building transnational ties to actors outside the country. Our task in this paper is to study the relationship between these twinned processes. In this paper we focus on the relationship between domestic integration and transnational interactions in the domain of civic organizations. Specifically we ask whether civic organizations that are connected to transnational flows of information, resources, and partnership are more likely to be disconnected from their members, constituents, and other organizations in the civic sector. Does the reach of transnational NGOs into these organizations restrict their patterns of domestic association? In short, are global links likely to loosen local ties?
