Esta dissertação enfoca a demanda por novas habilidades e competências requeridas aos regentes de corais infantis de projetos sociais, a partir de pesquisa realizada junto a profissionais que atuam nesse segmento, com recorte na cidade de São Paulo. Tais competências diferenciam-se conforme demandado pelos atores sociais que estabelecem e financiam os corais. O perfil de um regente de coro infantil de um projeto social já se distancia das demais modalidades de coro devido às características particulares das crianças e às especificidades do contexto em que ele deve atuar. Esses fatores aumentam a gama de competências exigidas desse profissional. A partir da análise sócio-histórica da configuração da atividade de canto coral infantil no Brasil em três momentos determinados: o coro infantil do Período Colonial, regido pelo mestre-de-capela, o coro de crianças do Canto Orfeônico, regido pelo professor na época da República Velha e o coro infantil contemporâneo, no período da Nova República, surgido do esforço da Sociedade Civil, através de projetos sociais de Organizações Não-Governamentais, que demanda um novo tipo de regente, far-se-á a contextualização de conceitos como Palco Global, ator social, Sociedade Civil, Terceiro Setor e competências. Esta pesquisa se propõe a refletir sobre essas novas demandas que moldarão o perfil desse novo profissional regente de canto coral infantil. / This works aims at focusing the new skills and competencies demanded for children\'s choir conductors in social projects. It was based on a research developed in São Paulo with professionals of this area. Such skills and competencies vary according to the social actors who support the choirs. The profile of a social project children\'s choir conductor has proved to be different from other chorus modalities due to the peculiarity of its children features and the specific context in which the conductor must act. These factors increase the range of skills required for this job. It was analysed the socio-historical arise of children\'s choir in Brazil in three specific periods: The children\'s choir of the Colonial Period, ran by mestre-de-capela; the children\'s choir of Canto Orfeônico, conducted by teachers at República Velha time and the contemporary children\'s choir, from Nova República, considered a civil society action implemented in social projects of Nongovernmental Organizations, which consequently order a different performance of this professional. Then, it will be contextualized the emerging concepts of \"Global Stage\", \"social actor\", \"Civil Society\", \"Third Sector\" and \"competencies\" in order to reflect on those current demands which are shaping the profile of this new professional childrens choir conductor.

O presente trabalho estuda a atuação de organizações da sociedade civil brasileiras no Mercosul por meio de uma dupla estratégia: o uso de repertórios tradicionais de protesto/mobilização social e participação em canais institucionais de diálogo. A revisão da literatura mostra que estas duas dimensões da ação têm sido tratadas de forma fragmentada em grande parte das contribuições teóricas sobre o tema. A partir do estudo da atuação de de organizações da sociedade civil no tema da integração regional, os objetivos deste trabalho são compreender como mobilizam simultaneamente estas duas estratégias e, desta forma, contribuir com o debate na área sobre o transnacionalismo e a influência de atores não estatais no campo das Relações Internacionais. / This thesis studies the activities of Brazilian civil society organizations in Mercosur through a dual strategy: the use of traditional repertoires of protest/social mobilization and participation in institutional channels for dialogue. The literature review shows that these two dimensions of action have been treated in a fragmented way in much of the theoretical work on the issue. Based on the activities of social actors in the regional integration process, the goals of this research are to understand how these actors simultaneously mobilize those strategies, and thus to contribute to the debate on transnationalism and the influence of non-state actors in the International Relations field.

A presente pesquisa teve como objetivos identificar as principais especificidades das Organizações da Sociedade Civil e conhecer como essas particularidades (pontos que facilitam ou dificultam) influenciam o desenvolvimento de um planejamento estratégico nessas organizações. Para cumprir os propósitos desta pesquisa, a metodologia estruturou-se na natureza exploratório-descritiva com uma abordagem qualitativa. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de um questionário respondido pela Coordenadora da Casa Ronald McDonald de São Paulo, questionários estes que identificavam a instituição conforme a tabela de classificação internacional de organizações sem fins lucrativos (ICNPO), receita anual, número de colaboradores, nível de importância e influência das especificidades na elaboração do plano, dados sobre o planejamento já existente e o quanto este planejamento contribuiu com a organização (se houve ou não melhorias nos pontos estratégicos trabalhados). Observou-se que o planejamento estratégico no que se refere a empenho dos colaboradores é elevado na instituição, desde que não tenha que disputar o tempo de investimento das estratégias com a operação da organização, neste momento ele ficará em um segundo plano. Os efeitos observados são positivos principalmente nos aspectos de gestão. As especificidades influenciaram de acordo com o nível de maturidade da instituição ou o momento pelo qual ela passou, a Casa Ronald McDonald é uma organização que apresenta muito bom nível de maturidade e vem contribuindo de forma significativa nas ações a que esta destinada. As especificidades mais presentes nessas análises foram classificadas em temas: Gestão do Conhecimento; Formação de Parcerias; Gestão de Projetos; Captação de Recursos; Sustentabilidade; Gestão Financeira; Legitimidade; Recursos Humanos; Gerenciamento do Voluntariado. Em seguida buscou-se compreender, por meio da realização de entrevistas, de que forma as especificidades mais frequentes identificadas na coleta de dados influenciavam facilitando ou dificultando o desenvolvimento do planejamento estratégico da instituição. O estudo conclui que as especificidades mais frequentes no desenvolvimento do planejamento estratégico variam de acordo com o momento vivido pela organização, o orçamento existente à época do desenvolvimento e dos projetos que a instituição tem para realizar. Na Casa Ronald McDonald em seu primeiro momento, a legitimidade, manter o apoio das instituições mantenedoras e ter uma gestão financeira impecável foram as mais presentes. Na etapa seguinte o foco do planejamento foi influenciado nos aspectos de gestão de Recurso Humanos e do Voluntariado, pois a instituição apresenta um quadro enxuto de funcionários que necessita de um contínuo desenvolvimento técnico e a demanda por voluntários para a realização dos projetos é ininterrupta. Com a expansão de atividades da instituição, a gestão de projetos foi mapeada para o próximo planejamento como especificidade que mais deve ser levada em consideração, pois a estrutura existente é restrita. Entre os achados da pesquisa, destaca-se no desenvolvimento do planejamento estratégico da instituição, uma gestão financeira austera, uma tendência de desenvolver projetos com a comunidade local e continuar o processo de formação de novas parcerias. Recomendam-se para estudos futuros, trabalhos que considerem a comparação entre OSCs de diferentes portes dentro do mesmo segmento, possibilitando a verificação de possíveis diferenças. / This study seeks to identify the main specificities of Civil Society Organizations and how such specificities (aspects that facilitate or difficult) affect the strategic planning process within those organizations. The purpose of the research is exploratory, descriptive, with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires answered by the Coordinator of the Ronald McDonald House São Paulo. The questionnaires identified the institution according to the international classification of nonprofit organizations (ICNPO). The matters addressed in the questionnaires included the annual revenue, the number of collaborators, how the identified specificities of nonprofit organizations have influenced the planning process, information on previous planning, and to what extent, if any, the strategic plan implemented contributed to improve any of the institution\'s strategic issues. Collaborators show high willingness to engage in the strategic planning provided that it does not interfere with their daily work; otherwise, the planning process will be put aside. Positive results are attained mostly in respect of management issues. Relevant specificities influenced the planning process according to the institution\'s organizational maturity or due to some specific circumstance. The Ronald McDonald House has a good level of maturity and excellently fulfills its purpose. The main specificities influencing the planning refer to: Knowledge Management, Partnerships; Project Management; Fundraising; Sustainability; Financial Management; Legitimacy; Human Resources; Volunteer Management. Interviews were used to determine how the specificities most referred to during the data collection process influenced (by facilitating or complicating) the development of the institution\'s strategic planning. The study concluded that such specificities vary according to changes in circumstances, projects and budgetary availability at the time of developing the planning documents. The Ronald McDonald House initially focused on Legitimacy, securing financial support from sponsor institutions, and implementing sound financial management. At a subsequent stage, the planning focus was influenced by Human Resources and Volunteer issues, as the institution has an adequate number of employees who need continuous technical training and there is an unending demand for volunteer work for the projects. Upon an increase in the institution\'s activities, the needs of project management have been marked as most important because of the institution\'s limited manpower. A sound financial management, a tendency to develop projects with the local community and to further the process of establishing partnerships stand out from among the key findings of the research. Future studies seeking to compare CSOs of varying size operating within the same segment as the institution are recommended.

Orientador: Jesus José Ranieri / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T09:56:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MoraesJunior_EliMarioMagalhaes_M.pdf: 1018445 bytes, checksum: 426c968c5de8d65f498238586dd0c937 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Neste trabalho, buscamos investigar os caminhos trilhados por Karl Marx nos primeiros anos de sua formação intelectual. Em especial, nos dedicamos aos temas relacionados ao Estado e à política, e como são tratados pelo filósofo alemão em suas obras confeccionadas entre os anos de 1843 e 1844. Encontramos uma concepção política que não se desliga da visão de mundo geral que Marx começava a formular naquele momento. Bastante influenciados pelo contexto intelectual de sua época, por um lado, mas também pelos determinantes sociais e históricos nos quais vivia, os textos marxianos concentram-se no que o autor chamou de "realização da filosofia". Para Marx, tratava-se de aproveitar as potencialidades do gênero humano descobertas pelo idealismo alemão no sentido de buscar a realização efetiva da emancipação humana. Como tal, seria necessário superar na prática os dualismos que a filosofia da época apenas vencia especulativamente. Nesta perspectiva, Marx chegará à conclusão de que os indivíduos humanos não podem se reconhecer enquanto membros de seu próprio gênero e estão, por isso, estranhados de sua essência. Indivíduos e gênero desenvolvem-se de forma desarmônica graças ao estranhamento que reina na vida prática dos homens e os faz comportarem-se de forma egoísta e anti-social. Aqui, o Estado e a política aparecerão como ilusões de uma vida comunitária que, no entanto, só serve para manter os homens nesta mesma situação de estranhamento. Com o estudo em economia política, ensaiados nos Manuscritos econômico-filosóficos, Marx chegará, então, à conclusão de que, apenas com a destruição da propriedade privada e a constituição de uma sociedade comunista, os indivíduos humanos podem trazer sua vida genérica de volta a seu cotidiano, superando todo o estranhamento / Abstract: In this study we investigate the paths taken by Karl Marx in the early years of his intellectual formation. In particular, we are dedicated to topics related to State and politics, and how they are treated by the German philosopher in his works made between the years 1843 and 1844. We found a political conception that is not disconnected from the general worldview that Marx began to formulate at that time. Sorely influenced by the intellectual context of his time, on the one hand, but also by social and historical factors in which he lived, the Marx's texts focus on what the author called "realization of philosophy." For Marx, it was to appropriate of the potential of the human genus discovered by German idealism in order to seek the effective realization of human emancipation. As such, it would be necessary to overcome in practice the dualisms that the philosophy of the time just vanquished speculatively. In this perspective, Marx come to the conclusion that human individuals can not be recognized as members of their own gender and are, therefore, estranged from their essence. Individuals and gender are developed in a disharmonious way thanks to the estrangement that reigns in practical life of men and makes them behave selfishly and anti-socially. Here, the State and politics appear as illusions of a community life which, however, only serves to keep the men in this very situation of the strangement. With the study of political economy, tested in Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts, Marx come then to the conclusion that, only with the destruction of private property and the establishment of a communist society, human individuals can bring their generic life back their daily lives, overcoming all the strangement / Mestrado / Sociologia / Mestre em Sociologia

Orientador: José Claudinei Lombardi / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T23:44:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lima_MarcosRoberto_M.pdf: 2147043 bytes, checksum: e0723f131d080ad91bab7014b99d04bf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Esta dissertação toma por objeto de pesquisa a ação pedagógica desenvolvida pelo "terceiro setor" na Região Metropolitana de Campinas (RMC). Tendo por objetivo a análise crítica dos projetos desenvolvidos pela Federação das Entidades Assistenciais de Campinas (FEAC) e do Centro de Educação e Assessoria Popular (CEDAP), procuramos entendê-los à luz das transformações ocorridas no pós-Guerra, passando pela crise mundial dos anos de 1970 e seus desdobramentos. Entre os principais fenômenos que são a expressão desse período, destacamos a reestruturação produtiva do capital e a ascensão do neoliberalismo, com suas implicações no âmbito econômico, epistemológico e, sobretudo, educacional. Procurou-se interpretar a transição das "lógicas do Estado" para as "lógicas da sociedade civil", tendo por referencial teórico metodológico o conceito gramsciano de "Estado integral" e sua ênfase na categoria de hegemonia, importante instrumental para o entendimento da complexa sedimentação social que dará sustentação ao Estado que emergiu após a crise de hegemonia do capital. O marco temporal para a análise do objeto foi o contexto que se estendeu do final dos anos de 1950 até os dias atuais, passando pela chamada redemocratização brasileira, a partir da década de 1980. Este período foi fortemente influenciado pelos desdobramentos da Guerra Fria e a ação ideológica estadunidense, fundamentada na filosofia do "comunitarismo", em contraposição aos movimentos populares de cunho contestatório que atuavam no Brasil. Seus desdobramentos perpassam o "golpe civil-militar", período em que foi gestado o substrato ideológico que em nosso entendimento fundamentará a emergência do "terceiro setor" e sua ação estratégica de consolidação do "novo" consenso neoliberal. A estratégia que se revela é o pragmatismo das saídas comunitárias, cujo efeito maior é inviabilizar as perspectivas históricas transformadoras, controlando as iniciativas dos subalternos e impondo um novo consenso, através de uma "pedagogia da hegemonia". Tal pedagogia passa a ser aplicada não somente pelas escolas oficiais, mas, efetivamente, pelas iniciativas do "terceiro setor", instrumentalizando-se em benefício do capital as saídas articuladas pela classe trabalhadora. Com um rico histórico de lutas sociais, a RMC configura-se em um importante espaço em que, não sem resistências, as estratégias do "terceiro setor" fincaram suas raízes, tornando-se um importante laboratório para se desvelar o "novo canto da sereia" em educação. / Abstract: This dissertation takes search object by the pedagogical action developed by the "third sector" in the metropolitan region of Campinas (RMC). Having objective critical analysis of the projects developed by the Federation of Charities of Campinas (FEAC) and the Popular Education Center (CEDAP) and advise, we seek to understand them in the light of the transformations that have occurred in the post-war period, passing by the global crisis of the years of 1970 and its unfoldings. Among the main phenomena that are the expression of that period, we highlight the productive restructuring of capital and the rise of neoliberalism, with their implications for economic, educational, and epistemological. Tried to interpret the transition of the State's "logical" to the logical "civil society", having by methodological theoretical reference the concept of Gramsci of "integral State" and its emphasis on instrumental category of hegemony, important for the understanding of complex social sedimentation that will the State that emerged after the crisis of hegemony of capital. The timeframe for the analysis of object was the context that spanned the end of the years of 1950 to the present day, passing by the so-called Brazilian re-democratization, from the Decade of 1980. This period was heavily influenced by the developments of the cold war and the American ideological action, grounded in the philosophy of "communitarianism", as opposed to popular movements that acted in Brazil questionable imprint. Its unfoldings permeate the "civil-military coup," was conceived during the period in which ideological substrate that emergency shall justify in our understanding of the "third sector" and its strategic action of consolidation of the "new" neoliberal consensus. The strategy that is revealed is the pragmatism of community output, whose greater effect is derail the historic perspective, controlling manufacturing initiatives of junior officers and imposing a new consensus, through a "pedagogy of "hegemony. Such pedagogy happens to be applied not only by the official schools, but, effectively, by the initiatives of the "third sector", by actually Instrumenting-if for the benefit of capital by working class outputs articulated. With a rich history of social struggles, the RMC is in an important area in which, not without resistance, the strategies of the "third sector" put down its roots, becoming an important laboratory for unveiling "new corner of Mermaid" in education. / Mestrado / Filosofia e História da Educação / Mestre em Educação

The main objective of this thesis was to examine three key questions concerning the political economy of digital broadcasting. First, the concept of digital broadcasting and its regulatory issues were investigated. Following the review of the related theories, I proposed a political economy of digital broadcasting framework as a theoretical perspective. Second, the factors influencing global digital broadcasting were examined. This research has investigated the main factors that influenced the regulatory changes and hardware and software markets around digital broadcasting at a global level. Finally, as a case study, I explore why and how the Korean government introduced digital broadcasting, setting this against the wider background of changing state-market relations. Various stakeholders have been involved in the digitisation of broadcasting at the national and global level. This process follows and forms the changing political economic configuration of the broadcasting industry of the nation-state facing neoliberal globalisation. To achieve the aims, the thesis uses archival research, questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews. I argue that the digitisation of broadcasting in South Korea has reflected the changing power relationships among state, market and. civil society in democratisation and globalisation. The consumer electronics manufacturers, telecommunication companies and the Ministry of Information and Communication have played pivotal roles in the introduction of digital broadcasting. The public broadcasters, press union and some civic organisations have played alternative roles in the process. In so doing, the role of the state has changed from one of authoritarian market formation to non-authoritarian market formation, market adjustment and coordinating different interests. The Korean state has the contradictory features of a neoliberal state, which has deregulated some areas such as broadcasting, telecommunications and financial markets, and played a role of entrepreneurial government at the same time.

This study is carried out during the spring of 2015 and six semi-structured interviews are conducted to form the basis of a case study. Its aim is to map and analyze the integration work performed in the municipality of Nässjö. The purpose of this study is to survey the work being performed in the municipality of Nässjö regarding integration of immigrants, and to identify crucial factors related to a potential collaboration between actors from the public sector and the civil society. - How are the chosen participants working with integration in the municipality of Nässjö? - In what way are the chosen participants currently cooperating with the public sector and the civil society in the municipality of Nässjö regarding integration? - How do the chosen participants find the idea of a joint collaboration regarding integration, between the public sector and the civil society in the municipality of Nässjö? With the use of an analyze model called “the constant comparative method”, the study compares and interprets the collected data. All of the informants are representatives of their respective establishment which either belonged to the civil society or to the public sector in the municipality of Nässjö. To assess whether the integration actors are susceptible to the idea of working collaboratively, their responses are compared to a theoretical framework called “collaborative governance”. The collected data is also set in relation to previous research regarding the situation of integration policies in Sweden. The result chapter displays the work performed by the interviewed establishments and the extent of their cooperation to improve the integration process of immigrants in the municipality. It also lists the various challenges the actors face and the possibility for one of them to have a leading role in a comprehensive and joint collaboration. The case study illuminates a reality where no common goal regarding integration exists amongst the selected actors. Complicated bureaucracy and regulations constitute discouraging factors that adversely affect the will of civil society actors to engage in collaboration with the public sector. The level of communication within the municipality is highly fragmented, it is found to be more developed within the civil society and to a lesser extent within the public sector. Finally, the case study suggests that there is no history of antagonism among the actors within the civil society. / I den pågående globala övergången till allt mer mångkulturella samhällen sker stora folkförflyttningar och effekterna av dessa blir allt tydligare för var dag. Förändringen som följer med en ökad immigration till ett mottagarland kan ibland vara svårhanterlig och i vissa fall resultera i ökad främlingsfientlighet, segregation och utanförskap. I Sverige existerar för närvarande ingen svensk nationell definition av vad integration innebär eller när denna process skulle kunna anses vara fullständig. Detta har lett till att de integrationsinsatser som görs runt om i landet kan vara både bristfälligt koordinerade och utan klara målsättningar. Via en beskrivande och kvalitativ fallstudie, där semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförs, granskar denna studie existerande integrationsarbete i Nässjö kommun, Småland. Fokus ligger kring ett eventuellt utvecklande av samverkan mellan den offentliga sektorn och det civila samhället i kommunen. För att identifiera existerande faktorer, vilka kan vara av relevans vid skapandet av en sådan samverkan, har sex stycken integrationsaktörer fått delge sina tankar och åsikter. Fallstudien identifierar fyra faktorer vilka kan komma att visa sig inverka på möjligheterna till en utökad samverkan mellan offentlig sektor och civilsamhälle, två nationella och två lokala. De två nationella faktorerna, vilka är av försvårande karaktär, är: avsaknaden av integrationsdefinition och existerande svensk byråkrati med tillhörande regelverk. De två lokala faktorerna, vilka istället har en främjande karaktär, är: fördelaktigt kommunikationslandskap och avsaknad av tidigare motsättningar mellan aktörer i Nässjö kommun.

This thesis explores the relations between democracy and decentralization in Venezuela during the period from 1989 to 2000. In particular it explores the emergence of political decentralization as the spatial distribution of power and its links with the process of democratization within political spaces. The spatial distribution of power has impacts upon both political institutions and civil society. This is where its central importance lies. Because of this, the framework of ideas underlying the thesis is followed within a methodologicalf ocus that emphasizesb oth the potency of the spatial, as a guiding element of politics and the political, and the local scale and the political practice of individuals. The backgroundt o the study is establishedth rough an explorationo f territoriality and the spatiality of power in Venezuela during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This is followed by an analysis of the centralist form of the state and the state reforms which were promoted at the end of the 1980s and which gave rise to the political decentralization of 1989 at the level of states and municipalities. The main period of study (1989-2000) is divided into three stages according to the dynamics of the process of democratization itself. Finally, the changes occurring at the local level through the application of decentralization are analyzed through a case study at the level of the municipality and of the parish: the Libertador municipality of the state of Mdrida and the parish of J. J. Osuna Rodriguez. The specific local examples explored in the thesis allow highlighted the ways in which clientelism can be associated with the vertical structures of power that have predominated in Latin America. Nevertheless, whilst its importance has been highlighted here through an understanding of the process of democratisation on the South American continent, it is interesting to note that it is not often explicitly considered as another mode of power in western political theory.

L’objectif de ce travail est de chercher à comprendre comment des dispositifs participatifs génèrent des effets au niveau de la relation entre les représentants des pouvoirs publics et les représentants associatifs mobilisés autour des dispositifs mis en place dans le cadre du « Programme national de rénovation urbaine » en France et de l’« Initiative nationale pour le développement humain en milieu urbain » au Maroc. Cela permet de comprendre les points communs et divergents entre les deux cas étudiés.Cette recherche s’appuie sur le recueil d’environ 70 entretiens semi-directifs. Ceux-ci ont été réalisés avec des acteurs publics et associatifs impliqués dans le « PNRU » en France et dans l’« INDH en milieu urbain » au Maroc.Cette thèse montre que les dispositifs participatifs mis en œuvre dans le cadre du Programme national de rénovation urbaine et de l’INDH en milieu urbain, contribuent à transformer la relation entre les représentants des pouvoirs publics et les représentants associatifs. Ces dispositifs ont donné lieu à l’émergence de « professionnels » de la participation. L’enquête montre par ailleurs que les pouvoirs publics utilisent les ressources associatives pour produire de l’action publique dans les quartiers populaires. Dans ce cadre, les acteurs associatifs accomplissent des actions qui devraient être réalisées par des agents publics. / The objective of the present work is to understand the impact of participative mechanisms at the level of relationship between representatives of public authorities and representatives of the civil society mobilized around the procedures set up within the framework of the « National Urban Renewal Program » (NURP) in France and of the « National Initiative for Human Development » (NIHD) in urban areas in Morocco. This will enable us to elucidate the convergences and divergences between the two cases.The data of this research is based on 70 semi-structured interviews. They were conducted with public actors and members of the civil society involved in the « NURP » in France and the « NIHD in urban areas » in Morocco.In this dissertation I argue that the participative mechanisms implemented within the framework of the NURP and the NIHD in urban areas contribute to the transformation of the relationship between representatives of the public authorities and the association’s representatives. These mechanisms gave rise to the emergence of "professionals" of participation. The survey also argues that authorities use the associative resources to produce public action in working class districts. In this context, the associative actors carry out actions which should have been accomplished by public agents.

This thesis is a critical examination of the origins, barriers and prospects for a working class-led civil society as it sought to democratise Zimbabwe’s post-colonial state. It is an interdisciplinary but historically informed analysis of how advanced capitalist development promoted the emergence of social movement unionism with a potentiality to advance democracy in Zimbabwe. Despite occurring on a much smaller and thinner scale, the evolution of civil society in colonial Zimbabwe was akin to what happened in 19th century Britain where capitalist expansion presented a foundation for democratisation. However, big underlying barriers exist in Zimbabwe, resulting from various forms of authoritarian structures and forcible mobilisation strategies emanating from colonialism and the protracted war of liberation. ZANU PF’s violent reaction to memory contests by non-participants in the war of liberation seeking an alternative political agenda attest to the controversial and polemical nature of struggles over memory and forgetting in contemporary Zimbabwean politics. These structural impediments forestalled the organic growth of civil society in Zimbabwe, thereby explaining its inchoate status and the failure to significantly determine the course of public policy. While recognising the democratic aspirations and capacities of the working class in precipitating political change, this thesis takes into consideration the impact of other factors on state-society relations. These include deepening state barbarism, globalisation, and technological advances in communication, transnational civil society, a dysfunctional economy, migration and remittances. Finally this thesis presents an optimistic scenario about the prospects for civil society and democratisation in Zimbabwe. I argue that the revival of the productive sectors of the economy can possibly strengthen the labour movement and revive its capacities for ushering in a democracy.