Social network of relationships between people, groups, organizations, non-profit and NGOs is tremendously increasing. This fact is more evident related to social networks, including Facebook, MySpace, FriendWise, Hi5, Yahoo! 360, Orkut, and StudiVZ, These are now providing NGOs a virtual podium to connect to a larger community of donors, members and/or activists. There are several advantages for NGOs to increasing their success, like crossing national frontiers or borders, creating a marketing fundraising platforms, and share trade as well as communicating the most relevant information through developing network-based approaches to the study of social issues.
Another one of those benefits includes diversity because the Internet grants individuals from all around the world access to social networking sites.
Particular evidence shows that NGOs and their use of networks have been supported by building solidarity, facilitating communication, and mobilizing political action in some countries with an incipient democracy. These networks have been particularly effective in pressuring governments to increase political transparency ending up striving for less corruption.
Jamie Metzl, Executive Vice President of the Asia Society, declares that “globalization and the information revolution are empowering decentralized networks that challenge state-centered hierarchies. These networks may be defined loosely as sets of interconnected individuals who occupy analogous positions in institutional or social structures and create new community relationships that build upon, democratize, and magnify existing social frameworks.” In other words NGOs and their networks contribute to healthy democracies and governmental transparency.
If we are looking closer to the analysis When taking a look at “the importance of the State: Political Dimensions of a Nonprofit Network in Oaxaca, Mexico” we can see that NGOs are more connected to government authorities than to any other type of non-state organization. For almost two decades, networks of Mexican NGOs have contributed to a political transition toward democracy. Evidence suggests that this transition has occurred sporadically leaving Mexico a democracy with authoritarian enclaves. In fact, the majority of ties reported by NGOs hit and influenced at various levels of the Mexican government. NGO network suggest heavy involvement by government authorities in civil society operations. In other words, the majority of ties reported by NGOs were to various levels of the Mexican government.
Networks distribute influence and power across traditional boundaries, allowing powerful interest groups to form and re-form rapidly into democratization.
The presence of NGO-state networks may also offer a unique opportunity for those seeking to support democratization in historically authoritarian settings.
Social networking for social good space continues to heat up with- “Social network services are social engagement tools,” as said by Joeri Gianotten the Business Development Manager, Asia Pacific.
Refrences:
- Neal, R. (2008). The Importance of the State: Political Dimensions of a Nonprofit Network in Oaxaca, Mexico. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 37(3), 492-511. Retrieved 26th November 2009 from URL: EconLit with Full Text database.
- Metlz, J. (2001). Network Diplomacy Carnegie Georgetown Journal of International Affairs Winter/Spring 2001. Reprinted with permission from Georgetown Journal of International Affairs Winter/Spring . Retrieved 26th November 2009 from URL: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=681
-Amado Foundation 2009. Retrieved 27th November 2009 from URL: http://www.ammado.com/community/110475
1 comment:
You happen to have picked a topic that I know particularly well, and you did a good job of laying down one side of the case--democratization. Because you're writing about Mexico, I'm surprised you didn't mention the Zapatistas. But what about the other side? Even oppressive governments have stopped blindly suppressing all SNs and are becoming increasingly more sophisticated in are using the power of online networks to their own advantage. No, the Beijing government isn't on Facebook or its Chinese equivalents, but look at how the UK and Switzerland, just to name two, are doing.
Post a Comment