Associations

Voluntary associations are an important backbone of global civil society and a key element of civil societies in democratic countries. Their role is crucial in democratic societies: The right of peaceful assembly and association is expressly guaranteed in Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Although scholars still argue over whether it is possible to generalize about the social roles, functions, and effects of associations, given their plurality of forms and variety of purposes, it is clear that in most of the literature, [Page 97]associations are considered to enhance social integration, emphasize freedom, or strengthen democracy. Only recently have researchers started to explore specific conditions regarding some of the negative effects of associations and social networks, such as corruption or social exclusion.

A basic definition of associations is a collection of persons who have joined together for a specific purpose. The existing literature distinguishes between primary associations, such as families and friendships; secondary associations, such as civic groups, sports clubs, or religious associations; and tertiary associations, such as goal-oriented membership groups and professional organizations. Scholarly interest focuses on secondary and tertiary associations, because they involve the voluntary act of joining the association and are a step beyond the more intimate context of family and friends.

The literature on civil society focuses on the variety of democratic effects attributed to associations and on their role in facilitating social cohesion. Robert Putnam emphasizes the role of voluntary organizations as facilitators of face-to-face encounters that sow generalized trust and civic engagement. Recent empirical research also focuses on the socioeconomic payoffs of voluntary association involvement, such as easier access to new jobs, safer neighborhoods, or economic prosperity.

Democratic systems depend on the effects and functions of associations, in particular the representation and deliberation of opinions and interests, the counterbalancing of powers, the cultivation of political skills and the formation of public opinion. The recently emerging literature on multilevel governance claims that democratic systems in which politics has migrated beyond the level of the nation-state and toward an interplay among the local, regional, state, and international levels are more dependent on associations as an alternative form of governance.