I. Why the need for this course?

Strengthening civil society as a sector is essential for democracy and for ensuring human development, well-being and equality. Members in a strong civil society will exhibit commitment to freedom and equality, to democracy, participation and mutual recognition of rights, vis a vis state, market and internal functioning. Responding to the above need, PRIA is launching the current course, in a distance education mode, for development organisations and actors engaged with or interested in working with civil society actors and associations.

II. Who can join?

The course is intended for resource providers, policy makers, practitioners and researchers, who are working or interested in working for strengthening Civil Society. These include staff of donor agencies (multilateral, bi-lateral, state or non state actors), government officials, civil society organisations, social activists, university students and researchers.

It will provide in-service career opportunity for practioners. The participants can be mid career professionals or young professionals, with limited practical experience of working for or with civil society organisations. The minimum required qualification is Bachelors degree in any subject.   The learners should have an easy access to computer and Internet facilities otherwise they might miss out on significant portions of the course.

III. Special features

•  This innovative course is one of its kind, at the national, regional and international level, in a distance education mode.
•  It will consider a range of conceptual and practical issues faced by civil society in their pursuit of social change . It includes critical analysis of different debates and perspectives on the theme.
•  It draws together theory and practice on civil society, through field case studies and practical illustrations.
•  It has leading national and international academics and practitioners as part of guest faculty and its advisory committee.
•  The course material is specially designed and developed to meet special requirements of distance mode of education. It includes inbuilt exercises, in-text questions to stimulate critical thinking and analysis.
•  The entire course will be taken by distance education, making learning accessible outside working hours. Distance delivery includes print material (a manual and CD-ROM), enhanced with Web-Conferencing activities and discussion facilitated by an instructor at an Internet Web site.
•  To encourage maximum interaction between the instructor and the learners a PRIA web board has been developed wherein the students can post their queries, comments, suggestions, and experiences and participate in the online but asynchronous discussions. The students can also access the tutor through emails and phone.

IV. Course structure

Course goal:

"To strengthen understanding on the concept of civil society and on strategies for strengthening civil society, in its pursuit of addressing issues of poverty, democratisation and sustainable human development".

To meet the above goal, the course content is divided into six Units:

Unit 1: Civil Society-meanings, origins, functions and interpretations

•  Historical and cultural roots of civil society
•  Meanings and perspectives on civil society
•  Mapping of civil society organisations

Unit 2: Civil society and other actors

•  Exploring the concept of trinity
•  Civil society and the state
•  Civil society and the market
•  Civil society and donors

Unit 3: Civil society and development

•  Understanding development and participatory development
•  Civil society's contribution to development
•  Emerging issues and challenges

Unit 4: Civil society and democracy

•  Understanding democracy and governance and its implications for civil society
•  Civil society's contributions to strengthening democracy and improving governance
•  Emerging issues and challenges

Unit 5: Strengthening civil society

•  Understanding capacity building-concept and principles
•  Strengthening civil society - individual, organisational and sectoral aspects
•  Current and future issues in capacity building

Unit 6: Civil society in a globalised world

•  Understanding globalisation
•  Globalisation and civil society
•  Current issues and challenges

On completion of the course the learners would:

•  Acquire basic understanding on the concept of civil society, with particular reference to developing    Countries
• Be familiar with examples of civil society's contribution to development and strengthening    democracy
•  Build understanding on strategies for strengthening civil society, at the sectoral and organisational    level

V. Team involved in course development and delivery

Advisory committee

•  Bandopadhyay, Kaustuv Kanti (Dr.), Director-Urban Governance, PRIA, New Delhi.
•  Brown, L. David (Dr.), Director, International Programmes, Hauser Centre for Non Profit    Organisations, Harvard University, USA.
•  Chandhoke Neera (Prof.), Department of Political Science, Delhi University, Delhi.
•  Farrell, Martha, Director, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.
•  Koul , B. N. (Prof.), Former Director, IGNOU, New Delhi.
•  Mohanty, Ranjita(Dr.), Research Fellow, PRIA, New Delhi
•  Oommen , T. K (Prof.), Retd., Study of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, Jawahar Lal     Nehru University, New Delhi.
•  Singh, R. R (Prof.), Retd. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
•  Tandon, Rajesh (Dr.), President, PRIA, New Delhi.

Faculty

Course Instructor:

•  Dass, Purvi, Sr. Manager, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.

Authors

•  Ball, Colin, Former Director, The Commonwealth Foundation, U.K.
•  Jaitli, Namrata, Fellow, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.

Editor

•  Ball, Colin, Former Director, The Commonwealth Foundation, U.K.

Secretarial Support

•  Bhaskaran, K.V., Executive Secretary, PRIA Continuing Education, New Delhi.

VI. Admission procedure

Eligibility: The minimum required qualification is Bachelor's degree in any subject.

Mode of delivery : The course is offered in a distance mode, making learning accessible through part time study, outside working hours. Distance delivery includes print materials, audio-visual CDs, guest faculty and immediate and engaged communication through web board.

Duration :The course is of 3 months duration.

Medium of instruction : The course will be delivered in English.

Credits and evaluation : It is a 8-credit course and involves 240 study - hours. Evaluation will be based on written assignments in the form of reflection papers and project work.

Course fee : The course fee is Rs.6000/- or 250 US$ for applicants outside India, for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka- The fee is INR 7000/-payable in one installment.

Payment of fee : The fee is to be payed in Demand Draft drawn in favour of "Society for Participatory Research in Asia", payable at New Delhi. The fee can also be paid through Bank Transfer.

Registration Deadline: The last date for receiving filled in application form is 31st of August, 2009

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