LIB540
Civil Society and Its Rivals
The idea of civil society is as old as democracy—and for good reason. Without a culture of dialogue and engagement with issues of the day, and of accountability beyond polling-days, how deep is democracy? From sporting and reading clubs to activism on climate justice, public health and human rights, the vitality of civil society today is a key measure of the health of democracy—and of citizenship. Yet, in a time of nativist populism and acute polarization fuelled by social media, can a culture of solidarity and civility flourish? George Orwell’s novel 1984, published back in 1949, is still a stark reminder of the stakes at hand.
Note: Weekly readings are strongly recommended. See “Learning Materials”.
This course is offered in person.
A $50 discount is available during check-out for adults 55+.
Overview
Location: Vancouver
Duration: 6 weeks
Tuition: $180 plus GST
Can be applied to:
Liberal Arts for 55+ Certificate
Upcoming Offerings
- Fri, Jan 16, 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Fri, Jan 23, 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Fri, Jan 30, 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Fri, Feb 6, 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Fri, Feb 13, 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Fri, Feb 20, 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
Course outline
- Week 1: Civil society and democracy—friends and foes
Recommended readings:- Rebekah Barber, “What Is Civil Society—and How Is It Under Threat?”, Nonprofit Quarterly (August 4, 2025)
- Robert Longley, “Civil Society: Definition and Theory”, ThoughtCo. (May 26, 2022)
- Week 2: Bonding and bridging
Recommended reading:- Wikipedia summary, Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam (2000)
- Week 3: Human rights—civil society versus the modern state
Recommended readings:- George Orwell, 1984 (1949)
- Alex Neve, Universalism (2025) – excerpt
- Week 4: Populism—uncivil society?
Recommended readings:- IPSOS Populism Report 2025 (June 2025)
- York University, Observatory of Populism in Canada, “What is Populism?”
- Week 5: Climate ethics—reality check
Recommended reading:- Peter Dauvergne, Environmentalism of the Rich (2016) – excerpt
- Week 6: Protest! Reclaiming the civil
Recommended reading:- Global Public Policy Institute, “Protest Movements and Civil Society” (August 10, 2023)
What you will learn
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Appreciate how and why the idea of civil society sits at the heart of democracy, in Canada and beyond
- Recognize the risks that are thrown up by populist politics, and the failure of a pluralist civic culture to thrive
- Engage with current issues at home and abroad from a standpoint that values critical thinking and solidarity, as keys to ethical citizenship
How you will learn
- Lectures
- Participation in discussions
- Supplementary resources accessed through Canvas
- Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)
Learning Materials
No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.
Technical Requirements
Handouts and other course resources will be available on Canvas, SFU’s online learning system.
To access the resources, you should be comfortable with:
- Using everyday software such as browsers, email and social media
- Navigating a website by clicking on links and finding pages in a menu
- Downloading and opening PDF documents