Mengzi and Civil Society In this talk I will explore the idea of civil society from a Ruist (Confucian) perspective. More specifically, I want to explore one text, the Mengzi, for particular insights that might help open a way for the discussion of civil society to make advances in political contexts that lack democratic institutions. I am not the first person to look at the possible convergence of civil society and Ruist traditions from a broad angle, but until now scholars seem to conclude that there is little ground to be gained by doing so. Nevertheless, I think a closer look at specific texts rather than generalized positions based on proof-texts drawn from across a diversified tradition can provide a more sound foundation from which to begin discussing civil society in what might be considered unlikely places.
When
Thu Sep 14, 2017 5am – 7:30am Coordinated Universal Time
