Hello l-comm list ! You have been quite quiet lately... Maybe the summer will be more propitious to writing ?

We have been working on the "civil society" theme... It's a quite large topic! So we tried to identify sub-topics, or different axis that could organize the discussions or thoughts. Here they are... and we are looking forward to hear from you! Do you have other ways of thinking this question ? Are you OK with our's ? Do you have some ideas about Who we could invite, on the Conference, to discuss these questions ?

--------------------------

1) The autonomy of civil society towards the State: a matter of principle in nowadays context.

a) How to resist the increased integration of community resources by the State into its own resources management?

b) In developing countries: can the construction of a democratic State justify compromises regarding the plurality and civil liberties within society?

c) Are the State and the civil society more inter-linked in rural areas?

2) How to develop a proper relation between civil society and the economy? Projects of social integration by the economy, projects of social economy and community economic development: are they more a solution for the State than for the society?

a)How to avoid mercantilism in social relations and objectives when community and education organisations are imposed market-like and self-financing objectives?

b) Are enough efforts made to " civilize " the economy

c) Aren¹t these questions those of developed countries, and of those who feel nostalgic about the Welfare State? Aren¹t the developing countries having more pressing obligations to integrate the social and economic objectives of development?

3) There is a professionalization of community services: how to avoid a shrinkage of the democratic space of expression and control by citizens?

a)Are the local and regional consultation tables mobilizing more the employees than the elected representatives in community organizations? Have these consultation roundtables replaced protest movements?

b) is there a dialogue possible between the citizen voice and the professionals¹ knowledge?

c) Are new technologies opening new spaces for participation that could help against this "shrinkage"?

4) To what extent the organisations of civil society have to take part in international matters?

a) Can the NGO facilitate an international responsibility on international issues such as environment and market regulationŠ?

b) Is this responsibility can lead to new international structures?

c) What can be done to counter effects of globalisation on local and regional communities?

Gilles Beauchamp,for the "content committee"