Semináře
20. 10. 2022
13.30, HYBRID FORM, room 207 and ZOOM

Sociological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences invites you to the autumn cycle of Thursday sociological seminars.

Conceptual rethinking of civil society: going beyond the institutional dimension

In social sciences, the concept of civil society gains both excessive popularity and severe criticism for its ambiguity and even paradoxes. The need for its relevant conceptual rethinking is also linked with the following vital question: is it possible to meet our new challenges, in particular, to talk about democracy in terms of civil society, without using old-fashioned theoretical constructions?

Short analysis of the paradoxes and conceptual history of civil society aims to provide a clarification of some key methodological reference points in this chaotic space. It also indicates limitation of civil society conceptualization mainly in terms of formal institutions. Going beyond formal institutions means that we have to add another cultural dimension to civil society, which is the solidarity of the community that shares common democratic values. Some examples of this innovative approach in contemporary sociology confirm that such a combination of institutional and cultural dimensions of civil society could show real and complex relationships between civil society and democracy.

Viktor Vajda-Pasisnychenko, Ph.D, Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Sociology and Political sciences Department. As of 04. 2022 Institute of Philosophy of the CAS. (Research Project “The Scientific Paradigm Change And Its Implications For The Social Sciences”).

Fellowships: Researchers at Risk (2022, Czech Republic); Fulbright (2009, USA); UCL (2003-2004, UK); Kennan Institute (1999, USA); Queens University (1998, Canada); Edinburgh University (1996-1997, Scotland); CEU (1995, Hungary)

Field of studies:Philosophy of science; Cultural turn in social theory; Civil society theory and practice; European identity

 

The seminar is freely accessible for those attending f2f, if you intend to attend online, please fill in your email here  and we will send you a link on the day of the seminar.

 

Sdílejte tuto stránku