The Civil Society

Preparations

The facilitator prepares a post-it note for each participant giving them a “new” identity. The following can be used:

• Parliamentary politician
• Prime Minister
• Judge
• Military general
• Soldier
• Police officer
• Factory owner
• Hotel owner
• Capitalist
• Bank director
• Clergyman
• Imam
• Wheelchair user
• Refugee
• Migrant
• Child
• Woman
• Teenager
• Pensioner
• Sexual minority
• A person who is ill

This exercise works best with between 15 and 30 participants. Then there will be enough people for each participant to find similarities with and form groups. If there are many participants, more than one participant can have the same identity.

Instructions

• All the participants stand in a semicircle. The facilitator tells everyone to close their eyes, and that they will feel a small press when a note is placed on them. The note gives them a new identity.
• When everyone has a note, the facilitator explains what comes next: “You will now form new groups based on your new identities. Which group do you believe you belong to? (approx. 3-5 minutes). Tips: All the identities can be read out loud before the participants form groups.
• After the participants have formed groups, the facilitator will provide an overview. Usually four groups will be formed:

1. Identities with POLITICAL POWER (people representing the political and state power apparatus).
2. Identities with FINANCIAL POWER (people creating profits).
3. Identities with RELIGIOUS POWER (leaders of various religious communities).
4. Identities WITHOUT POLITICAL, FINANCIAL OR RELIGIOUS POWER (the civil society).

NOTE: Occasionally other groups will be formed, and this is not necessarily “wrong”. The purpose of the activity is, however, to raise awareness of the four above-mentioned groups and their various functions in society. Therefore it is important that if someone has obviously selected a “wrong” group, the facilitator can ask for an explanation, correct what the person has been thinking and send them to the “correct” group.

• The facilitator asks one or more participants in group 1 to explain why they chose their group: Which common features do they have? Which type of relationships do they have to the others in the group? What is their role in society?

• The facilitator then asks group 2, group 3 and finally group 4 the same questions. The facilitator concludes each question round by explaining which power they represent. When reaching group 4 it is clear that they basically have neither political nor financial power.

• The facilitator then draws a circle representing society on the board or on a flip-over sheet. Then he divides the circle into four parts and explains each one. It is important that the civil society has the largest part of the circle because that is where most of the individuals in society are found.

Explaining the categories:

1. Political-authority power: The state has a legitimate monopoly on the use of the instruments of power, such as the police and the armed forces. The state must ensure that human rights are respected and protected, but also has other duties.
2. Financial power: Business and industry producing and selling goods and services.
3. Spiritual power: Faith communities and religious leaders.
4. The civil society: Basically individuals in civil society have no political or financial power. To improve their position in terms of power, people in this group can form organisations, clubs or associations to promote their own and others’ interests and rights. This is often called activism. Journalists, media and human rights activists can contribute to drawing attention to matters that are important for civil society.

Definition of the civil society:

The civil society is an umbrella term for those parts of society that consist of non-governmental organisations, various special interest groups and individuals who come together to promote a political cause or solve a task together on a voluntary basis. The civil society can also be understood as that part of society that is neither in the public sector nor the private sector (business and industry).

Source: Store norske leksikon (SNL)

Reflection

• Give examples of national organisations that represent the civil society.
• Some organisations prefer to turn down financial support from the state or business community. Why do you think they refuse this support?
• Should we as individuals become members of organisations and support them?
• In which ways does religion have power in a society?
• The media are at times called the “fourth estate” or “fourth state power”. Why?
• Why is the civil societyimportant in a democracy?
• Give examples of international organisations representing the civil society. Why are they important?

Debriefing

From the end of the nineteenth century and to the present individuals have increasingly organised themselves in associations, organisations and other networks. This sector, called the “civil society”, often aims to influence the authorities and the business community. The civil society consists of groups and people with common interests. They often work to improve conditions for vulnerable groups and to promote other causes they are devoted to. Many organisations work on humanitarian issues and human rights.

When people in the civil society come together to influence the authorities with political and financial power, they often use human rights, such as the right to congregate, and the rights to speak move freely.

Organisations that are not part of the state power apparatus are often called NGOs (non-governmental organisations). NGOs often have a free position in society and can criticise the policies of the authorities.

Modern organisations, including those that work for human rights, often form networks across national boundaries to give them more clout and to work internationally. Today there is a large international civil society that is an important power factor in international politics.