This book assesses local civil society responses to conflict, militarism, climate change, and disease in the global south.

Grounded in empirical analyses of civil society developments in Sub-Saharan African countries, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Palestine, and Syria, the book demonstrates that civil society organisations in unstable circumstances and divided societies have room and power to help and influence their societies and to become engaged in supporting active participation in society to help communities to endure uncertainty. The book considers the ways in which crises of conflict, war, climate change, and disease have challenged civil society organisations in their scope of work and operations. It also demonstrates the benefits of local ownership and grassroots initiatives in helping to empower local people by contributing to decision-making processes in peacebuilding and post-conflict consensus-building.

This book will be an important read for researchers looking for a new approach to civil society in a global south context, by focusing on local ownership and the different perspectives for each country, in terms of leadership culture and development in practice.