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Civil Society Relationships with the G20: An Extension of the G8 Template or Distinctive Pattern of Engagement?

2013; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 27; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/13600826.2012.762346

1469-798X

Andrew F. Cooper,

International Development and Aid

Abstract The central question that this work asks is whether the relationship between the G20 summit process and civil society is path dependent on the template built up with respect to the G8. Or, alternatively, does the G20–civil society relationship move towards a distinct autonomous pattern? Through the perspective of the G8 template it is the differences as much as the basic similarities that stand out with respect to the G20. Civil society recognised the significance of the G20 as a site both of delivery and resistance far quicker than they did with the G8—although the process of engagement did not take place as quickly as might have been expected given the scale of the impact of the global financial crisis. In terms of scope, there has not developed the sense of connection with the G20 agenda as occurred previously with the G8. In terms of form, there remains a more nuanced approach to the relationship between civil society and G20 than the two ends of the “Genoa” and “Gleneagles” spectrum established with the G8. Notes 1. Jan Aart Scholte (ed.), Building Global Democracy? Civil Society and Accountable Global Governance (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011), pp. 182–205, 306–342. 2. Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink, Activists beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1988); Richard Price, “Reversing the Gun Sights: Transnational Civil Society Targets Land Mines”, International Organization, Vol. 52, No. 3 (1998), pp. 613–644. 3. Colin Bradford and Lim Wonhyuk, Global Leadership in Transition: Making the G20 More Effective and Responsive (Washington, DC: Brookings, 2011). 4. Jan Beyers, “Voice and Access: Political Practices of European Interest Associations”, European Union Politics, Vol. 5, No. 2 (2004), pp. 211–240; William C. Smith and Roberto P. Korzeniewicz, “Insiders, Outsiders, and the Politics of Civil Society”, in Gordon Mace, Jean-Philippe Thérien and Paul Haslam (eds.), Governing the Americas: Assessing Multilateral Institutions (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2007), pp. 151–174. 5. On routinisation see David S. Meyer and Sidney Tarrow (eds.), The Social Movement Society: Contentious Politics for a New Century (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999), p. 2. 6. Jessica Mathews, “Power Shift: The Rise of Global Civil Society”, Foreign Affairs, Vol. 76, No. 1 (1997), pp. 50–66; Helmut K. Anheier, Mary Kaldor and Marlies Glasius (eds.), Global Civil Society 2006/7 (London: Sage, 2006). 7. Michael Edwards and David Hulme (eds.), Beyond the Magic Bullet: NGO Performance and Accountability in the Post-Cold War World (London: Earthscan, 1995); Andrew F. Cooper and Brian Hocking, “Diplomacy and the Re-calibration of State-Societal Relations”, Global Society, Vol. 14, No. 3 (2000), pp. 371–376. 8. “Muskoka Accountability Report: Assessing Action and Results against Development-Related Commitments”, Muskoka 2010 G8 Canada, 20 June 2010, available: (accessed 24 July 2010); “The DATA Report, 2011”, ONE (2011), available: (accessed 21 November 2011). 9. See, for example, G20 Information Centre, 2011 Cannes G20 Summit Final Compliance Report, 16 June 2011, available: (accessed 17 June 2011). 10. Rupert Taylor, Creating a Better World: Interpreting Global Civil Society (Sterling, VA: Kumarian, 2004), pp. 27–63. 11. “The BRICS Summits: Where is Civil Society?”, The Sherpa, 11 April 2011. See Lysa John, “Engaging BRICS: Challenges and Opportunities for Civil Society”, Oxfam India Working Paper Series, OIWPS - XII, September 2012, available at: (accessed 11 November 2011). 12. Ann Marie Clark, Elizabeth J. 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See also Stevens' article “Civil Society G20 Engagement”, in which he argues that from the perspective of civil society, “relevance of engagement with the G20 is very much alive and valid”; G20 Update, April 2012, available: (accessed 20 May 2012). 21. Helmut K. Anheier, Civil Society: Measurement, Evaluation, Policy (London: Earthscan, 2004). 22. Ibid. 23. On these differential forms of leadership see Oran R. Young, “Political Leadership and Regime Formation: On the Development of Institutions in International Society”, International Organization, Vol. 45, No. 3 (1991), pp. 281–308. 24. Zarina Geloo, “End of an Era”, IPSTerraviva, 21 June 2008, available: (accessed 25 July 2009). 25. Ramesh Jaura, “Planet Burns while G8 Fiddles”, Inter Press Service, 10 July 2008, available: (accessed 25 June 2011). 26. Lesley Wroughton, “Bill Gates Urges G20 to Live up to Aid Promises”, Reuters, 3 November 2012. 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Lawrence MacDonald, “Development and the Seoul G-20 Summit”, Center for Global Development, 25 October 2010, available: (accessed 20 February 2011). 47. Global Call to Action against Poverty, “Korea Blacklists Anti-poverty Activists Prior to the G20: Civil Society Reaction”, Facebook, 10 November 2010, available: (accessed 12 December 2011). 48. Tristen Naylor, “Civil Society Inclusion at Los Cabos 2012”, G20 Information Centre, available: (accessed 28 July 2012). 49. Oxfam, “G20 Fails 1 Billion Hungry People Worldwide—Oxfam”, 19 June 2012, available: (accessed 3 July 2012). 50. Walden Bello, “Make the Toyako Summit 2008 the Last G8 Summit!”, BanglaPraxis, March 2008, available: (accessed 23 September 2011). 51. Global Call to Action against Poverty, “Mapping Exercise to Chart Work on G20 Issues Globally”, Bridge to South Korea, 2010: Global G20 Meeting: Toronto, Canada, 21 and 22 June 2010. 52. Job advert for “BRICSAM and G20 Strategy Manager Oxfam International February 10, 2011, available at: . 53. Ibid. 54. Kim Willsher, “G20 Protesters Plan Major Demonstration in Cannes”, The Guardian, 17 October 2012.