Browsing by Author "Mostert, Chené"
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- ItemEngaging with theoretical approaches to state-civil society relations: A case study of child protection organisations informed by christian values in South Africa(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Mostert, Chené; De Jager, Nicola; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For many decades, the definition of ‘civil society’, the role it plays in democratic societies, as well as its relationship with the state have been debated and contested in both theory and reality. Two key theoretical approaches have been identified, namely the ‘associational life’ and ‘public life’ models. The first approach endorses pluralism by recognising that multiple interests need to be represented in a democratic setting. In contrast, the second approach describes civil society as an arena for public deliberation in pursuit of the common interest; and thus requires groups to turn from their separate affairs and compromise on their truths for the sake of finding a shared ‘truth’. Consequently, this approach inadvertently ‘disqualifies’ groups, such as religious groups, who may be unwilling to conform, as they will not always be able to reach a shared truth. The general goal of this study was to advance an understanding of the contribution religious-based, specifically Christian-based, civil society organisations are making in eradicating child abuse and neglect in South Africa and in strengthening broader communities. The study also sought to recognise what their contributions mean in terms of the associational life and public life theoretical approaches. To understand the role these organisations play and how these roles fit into the theoretical approaches, three organisations were selected as case studies and a key informant from each was interviewed. This research thus involved an in-depth analysis of three Christian-based child protection organisations in South Africa. The primary data gathered from the interviews were analysed using content analysis, also known as coding, by means of ATLAS.ti. The data was then interpreted and discussed. The findings show that these groups play a central role in promoting the protection and wellbeing of children and also in empowering communities, holding the government accountable and ensuring a healthy democracy. The contributions of these organisations in South Africa include their wide reach, extending to the remotest corners of the country, advocacy and lobbying work in protecting children’s rights, fostering positive values, stimulating positive change and creating protective and nurturing environments. By highlighting the vital developmental role these Christian-based organisations play, this thesis argues that such religious groups should not be excluded from understandings of civil society. This thesis further discusses state-civil society relations and argues for diverse relations as opposed to a single homogenous set of relations. Since there is insufficient integration between empirical and theoretical research on civil society in South Africa, this thesis aims to address this gap and add to existing literature regarding associationalism in contemporary South Africa. Ultimately, the findings from this study are more commensurate with the associational life theoretical approach and have highlighted the necessity of pluralism not only in South Africa, but also in any democratic state.