According to Spurk, "Civil society [can] facilitate regular and sustained participation by the citizenry, beyond simply voting in elections." Civil society is a vital sphere of contentious political participation. Its definition is diverse and varying, but the basis of its definition lie in the fact that it revolves around uncoerced collective action. The lines determining what is included in civil society are often blurred with some saying that civil society is simply "not business, and not government." However, Spurk regards civil society as an autonomous sphere of nonstate actors outside of the influence of politics, business, or media.
The Middle East is relatively known for its lack of a strong civil society. However, i would say it is developing. Civil society in MENA is unlike that of the West, I believe, for much of the action undergone through the use of civil society has not truly represented progress towards more democratic societies as many Western thinkers have previously thought. However, civil society in MENA does indicate progress. While it does not have as much of an overwhelming presence as it does in the United States, civil society in MENA is important. MENA's civil society has been vital to the success of many Islamic uprisings.
In terms of the political arena, effective civil society broadens the horizons for political participation, encouraging everyday citizens to involve themselves in collective action. Civil society allows for the voices of the people to be heard much more easily and can allow the people to keep their governments in check beyond the political sphere.
Personally, I think that there is definitely civil society in the MENA region, and I would disagree with the notion that it is "weak." I think that this misconception is rooted in the definition of civil society. All to frequently, we use a very Western definition that stress formal organizations like NGOs. But in the Middle East, there is evidence that there are strong social forms of civil society. Take the labor movement in Egypt for example. It is social, isolated to neighborhoods of people who all work in the same sector. The children marry each other and take on their parents' professions. That kind of civil society would never fit into a Western country's framework, yet it is still strong in the MENA region.
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