The idea of civil society traces its origins back to classical discourse on Western societies. The notion referred to free and autonomous citizens who constitute the state. Today the concept often refers to new groups and movements which have managed to acquire autonomy in opposition to the state. Mostly it has a normative implication too. The forces that represent ‘civil society’ are progressive, open, democratic, correct or justified. No surprise that it is connected with a great diversity of political possibilities. 

We are convinced that the idea of civil society provides a refreshing and challenging point of departure for a conference on Thai Studies, which contains a wide variety of scholarly disciplines. In the last decades we have seen a shift of the boundaries between governmental control and individual or communal initiative. Recent political upheavals suggest how novel forces of communication operate beyond immediate state control. Stories, songs, and dramas articulate the experiences of independent Thai citizens. We see Buddhist reformations outside the authority of the Sangha. Non governmental organizations (NGOs) have become a commonly accepted intermediary between local communities and the state. And last year a new constitution was accepted that respects individual rights far beyond actual circumstances. Some observers see here the beginnings of a new society, which is often addressed as ‘civil society.’ 

Civil society as a conference theme invites critical reflection on these developments. Do we indeed see the emergence of a new sphere that is able to influence or even form the state? Is this the beginning of the end of the priority of politics? What is the role of forms of communication, art and culture? Briefly, civil society concerns what lies beyond the state, or even against the state. Inevitably, this will refine our conception of the state as well. For some, ‘civil society’ is the middle ground between government and market, for others it includes market forces. 

It is not our intention to prescribe a specific definition of ‘civil society.’ Generally, however, the emphasis should be on social and cultural analysis of society, state, and economy, not the defense of a political program. It is important to keep in mind the classical idea of civil society and not to see it as another phrase for community building or for non-profit non governmental organization. Then we would miss a dimension that has become essential: civil society is trans-national. The force of the concept is precisely its critical orientation to national particularism, together with its global potential. 

The challenge is to develop conference themes that are a concrete translation of aspects of civil society within a specific discipline. It is not our major intention to initiate discussions about the usefulness of ‘civil society’ as a tool for Thai Studies. It should in the first place generate specific questions that are formulated in the more precise terms of a specific discipline.