This book brings a fresh, original approach to understand social action in China and Vietnam through the conceptual lens of informal environmental and health networks. It shows how citizens in non-democratic states actively create informal pathways for advocacy and the development of functioning civil societies.

'What a marvelous contribution to scholarship! This empirically rich and theoretically informed book by Andrew Wells-Dang makes a powerful argument for the centrality of networks in contemporary Chinese and Vietnamese civil societies. The comparative analysis of China and Vietnam is a significant achievement in itself.' - Ben Kerkvliet, Emeritus Professor, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

'A key future of civil society advocacy is in networks, and Andrew Wells-Dang's pioneering book explains how the cutting-edge process of NGO networking is helping to improve livelihoods, rights, the environment and government policy in China and Vietnam. This important volume will help show the way as the study of civil society networks expands in the years ahead. With this volume, Andrew Wells-Dang has done what many scholars hope to do - make a significant contribution to both research and policy advocacy.' Mark Sidel, Doyle-Bascom Professor of Law and Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin, USA

'The author presents an unprecedented, unique perspective to compare civil society networks and NGO advocacy in China and Vietnam. Through empirical case studies in real life context, this book reveals the subtle and complex dynamics of civil society in both countries, challenging the traditional analytical framework of state versus society.' - Fu Tao, China Development Brief, Beijing, China

'Drawing on trail-blazing research in both Vietnamand China, Wells-Dang demonstrates that the ordinary citizens of these two nations can indeed mobilize in support of a cause, stepping in to advocate successfully where government has either abdicated or failed to respond. The difference is that these advocacy groups aren't adopting Western 'civil society' models, but instead relying on forms of organization and tactics appropriate to their own societies.' - David Brown, Asia Sentinel

Autorentext

ANDREW WELLS-DANG is an independent researcher based in Hoi An, Vietnam. He has worked in China and Vietnam since 1993. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Birmingham, UK and an MA from Johns Hopkins University's School of International Studies, USA. He is also an advisor to multiple advocacy networks.

Inhalt
The Dynamic Societies of China and Vietnam Redefining Civil Society: Networks and Advocacy The Bright Future Group of People with Disabilities The China Women's Network Against AIDS Preserving Hanoi's Reunification Park The China Rivers Network Conclusion: Civil Society Networks and Political Change