The Changing Dynamic of Cuban Civil Society

by Kapcia, Antoni

• ISBN13: 9780813031927
• ISBN10: 0813031923
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-03-09
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Florida

Summary

Does a civil society actually exist in Cuba today and if so what is its nature and role? In seeking answers to this hotly contested and highly politicized question, Alexander Gray and Antoni Kapcia have assembled an impressive and diverse group of contributors. The essays inThe Changing Dynamic of Cuban Civil Societyrange from general discussion of the private sector to case studies about volunteer work, religious entities, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Since the fall of the Soviet Union and the economic crisis in 1990, the Cuban state has experienced severe challenges, and individuals have been forced to respond in unexpected ways to ensure their economic survival. Avoiding polemics and preconceptions, this volume brings a fresh and welcome perspective to one of the most vexing issues in Cuban society today.

Author Biography

Alexander I. Gray, a researcher in the European Network of Excellence on International Migration, Integration, and Social Cohesion, is the editor of Conflict Resolution and European Legacies of War. Antoni Kapcia, professor of Latin American history at the University of Nottingham and professor invitado at the University of Havana, is the author of Cuba: Island of Dreams.

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures	p. vii
List of Abbreviations	p. ix
Introduction: Responding to Crisis at the Grass Roots	p. 1
Setting the Stage for a Discussion of Cuban Civil Society: The Nature of Cuban "Communism" and the Revolution's Political Culture	p. 20
Civil Society: The Cuban Debate	p. 40
The Rise of the Private Sector in Cuba	p. 65
Rediscovering Lo Local: The Potential and the Limits of Local Development in Havana	p. 90
Solidarity Organizations and Friendship Groups: Internationalist Volunteer Work Brigades and People-to-People Ties	p. 116
"A Space within the Revolution": Religious Cubans and the Secular State	p. 140
The Genesis of NGO Participation in Contemporary Cuba: Perceptions from the Field, as Reported by Local and Foreign NGO Representatives	p. 160
Conclusion	p. 183
Glossary	p. 189
About the Contributors	p. 191
Index	p. 193
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