The Role of external actors in civil society building: the case of the Republic of Macedonia

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of external actors upon the development of civil society in Macedonia since 1990. The study analyzes the development of civil society as an integral element of democratization and argues that although external actors have facilitated the development of civil society in the case of Macedonia, their success has been conditioned upon contextual knowledge and local support. The analysis is structured around the impact of the
external actors on the following elements: the financing of civil society organizations (CSOs), their origin and manner of establishment, the agenda setting process, the level of public trust CSOs enjoy, and their division upon ethnic lines. The study employs qualitative methodology and relies on empirical data from openended interviews with civil society activists, international organizations and intellectuals. This research primarily contributes to the contextual literature on development of civil society in
Macedonia and provides useful findings for comparison with other transitional countries, especially multi-ethnic countries with deep ethnic cleavages.