Civil organizations: towards a definition beyond NGOs

Abstract

In the social sciences the division of society in three distinct spheres have a very long tradition. Usually in these approaches the authors start by a definition of what is state/politics and market/economy, having the “rest” in a third set that is defined by exclusion: it is neither this nor the other. Proceeding this way the third sphere, does not matter the name we give to it, is residual and includes distinct phenomena that little or nothing have in common. More limited in its pretension, with civil organiza-tions we seek to turn more precise an important part of that “third sphere”. Focused in an approach that gives more attention to organizational aspects, based on the regulator medium solidarity we make the distinction between civil organizations from entrepreneurial organizations and governmental ones, regulated by the media money and power. Civil organizations are considered as the basis of the civil society (Cohen and Arato), as the organized substract of the public sphere (Habermas). Inside the civil organizations it is possible a new distinction, based on the ways the regulator medium solidarity assumes, from civil organization of public aims (altru-ism), of collective aims (loyalty) and of mutual and self help aim (reciprocity). With these definitions appears to be possible the discussion of NGOs and social move-ments without any support of residual categories. Key words: Civil organizations; NGOs, third sector, public sphere.