Civil society is a flexible term that has no universally accepted definition. But while that is the case, there are a few precepts that most agree are an essential part to the definition of civil society; for example, it is a commonly accepted notion that civil society is defined as non-governmental, non-profit groups that represent the interests and values of society as a whole. 

Looking at the MENA region, while generally, civil society actors can be extremely influential in the transformation towards democracy for a state, in the MENA region, there seems to be a lack of public focus on the work of civil society. As noted in our readings, this is most likely because of the repressive regimes that currently exist in the region, and there also seems to be a lack of political participation from common citizens. In the media today, we see a lot of interstate communication and support, but civil society in the MENA region does not seem to have a large presence. That, of course, does not mean that it is not there though. Many of the uprisings in the Middle East, whether successful or not, were supported and organized by civil society groups in the region. Even today, civil society actors in the region are key instruments in promoting the ideals and goals of society as a whole. We also see the presence of civil society on a more global level in the region. For example, there are a number of civil society actors in the United States that work closely with actors in the MENA region.

Civil society can play a crucial role in broadening the space for political participation. Civil society allows common citizens who are unassociated with the government to freely congregate and express their own beliefs in a (usually) civil manner. We have seen this in the Middle East in places like Tunisia and Egypt during their uprisings, as the voices of civil society seemed to have a larger presence and a more central message and goal. If civil society is able to congregate with a common, central goal, the presence can produce real change and encourage political participation from individuals within society.