The State of Civil Society in Japan [Paperback]

Frank J. Schwartz (Editor), Susan J. Pharr (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521534623 | ISBN-13: 978-0521534628 | Publication Date: October 20, 2003

This survey about associational life and the public sphere brings the study of civil society in Japan into the mainstream of the Western literature on the subject. Its importance thus lies not only in deepening our understanding of Japan, but of civil society generally.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The State of Civil Society in Japan is a must-read book for students and scholars interested in civic engagement in modern democracies. Not only does this important work explore the development of Japan's unique civil society in its many facets, it also advances theoretically innovative hypotheses about the role of government policies in shaping a nation's changing universe of voluntary associations. Comparativists as well as specialists will find the book fascinating." Theda Skocpol, Harvard University

"This splendid and well-written collection of essays signifies how very insightful it is to examine the profound changes occurring in Japan through the prism of civil society. This book is testimony that the study of civil society itself has successfully out-grown its Western boundaries, and is now generating fascinating insights into how society, economy and polity relate to each other in important countries such as Japan." Helmut Anheier, University of California, Los Angeles

"Schwartz and Pharr have edited a masterful compendium on civil society in Japan. This is bound to become an indispensable reference tool for Japan scholars, who will want to make use of the encyclopedic breadth of the government-society linkages explored here. For the broader scholarly audience interested in civil society, this book brings Japan into full dialogue with the comparative literature. It's the only book of its kind." Frances McCall Rosenbluth, Yale University

"Although ubiquitous, the concept of civil society has not always been analyzed clearly or developed comparatively across space or time, and Japan has been one of the many countries where the notion was neglected until recently. The State of Civil Society in Japan is the first book to fill all these gaps. It systematically traces the historical development of civil society in Japan and places it in comparative perspective, in the process developing the theory of civil society and the role of the state in shaping it. This outstanding work makes a major contribution to our understanding of Japanas polity and to democratic theory in general." Ellis S. Krauss, University of California, San Diego

"The State of Civil Society provides a detailed analyses of Japanese civil society and makes a significant contribution to our understanding of Japanese society, Japanese politics, and more broadly, civil society in non-Western industrial countries. I highly recommend the book to scholars and students interested in Japanese politics and society, as well as those interested in civil society from comparative perspectives." Journal of Japanese Studies, Keiko Hirata, California State University, Northridge

"The State of Civil Society provides detailed analyses of Japanese civil society and makes a significant contribution to our understanding of Japanese society, Japanese politics, and more broadly, civil society in non-Western industrial countries. I highly recommend he book to scholars and students interested in Japanese politics and society, as well as those interested in civil society from comparative perspectives." Journal of Japanese Studies, Keiko Hirata, California State University, Northridge

Book Description

The State of Civil Society in Japan is about associational life and the public sphere in that country. Its purpose is to survey the subject in a systematic, interdisciplinary, and theoretically informed way and to bring the study of civil society in Japan into the mainstream of the Western literature on the subject. Its importance thus lies not only in deepening our understanding of Japan, but of civil society more generally.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (October 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521534623
• ISBN-13: 978-0521534628
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,679,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)