Challenges to Civil Society: Popular Protest and Governance in Jamaica by Dr Hume Johnson is the first empirically grounded investigation into the challenges to civil society in Jamaica, and thus breaks new ground in the study of the difficult relationship between civil society and democratic governance in the country. It is unique in renewing the scholarly focus on uncivil politics and the consequences for power and the status and quality of civil society in contexts faced with these challenges. By seeing civil society through the lens of non-peaceful forms of popular protest, the book allows readers to confront the realities of ‘actual existing civil society’ and compels a rethinking of the established normative view of civil society. For example, where civil society commentators often emphasize civility as a core feature of democratic polities and their civil societies, this book is unique in insisting that civil society contains both civil and uncivil elements. By calling for an inclusion of the latter in a revised definition, the book reminds readers of civil society’s dual face and the challenge this poses for developing countries.

This study is also unique in acknowledging the importance of structure––political and social institutions as well as patterns of political representation––and the role of individual agency and responsibility of citizens in determining the character of citizen politics and civil society in Jamaica. Poor state performance in delivering public goods, the state’s abuse and mistreatment of the poor, sensationalized media coverage of popular protests and the presence of rogue actors among the poor all are compelling features of the book. This is because they contribute persuasively to the argument of the consolidation of insolent, uncivil dispositions and political behaviors in post colonial Jamaica. Indeed, the study looks squarely at the influence of violence as a tool of political engagement by otherwise powerless subaltern classes in Jamaica and accepts that unconventional methods of political engagement such as protests are also being employed as effective additional methods to more institutionalized strategies (globally). Yet, the book’s distinctiveness lies in its scrutiny and critique of the long-term consequences of protesters’ uncivil actions for the future of civil society in Jamaica.

This is an important book for collections in political science, sociology, anthropology, and media studies/communications, especially given the increasing interest in understanding popular protests, violent social movements, resistance cultures as well as radical political culture, democracy and civil society across the developing and developed world. The book will also hold wide appeal among policy makers, political actors, activists, civil society practitioners, and specialists in international development as a result of its strong focus on civil society. This will also be an excellent text for undergraduate students and above, particular those studying international relations.

‘Towards De-Garrisonisation in Jamaica: A Place for Civil Society’. Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal. Feb 2010

‘Informer-phobia’: Understanding the ‘fear-factor’ in crime and terror-related information disclosure in Jamaica and Afghanistan (co-author, Joseph Soeters- Netherlands Defense Academy/University of Tilburg). Under Consideration, Comparative Sociology

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 WORKS IN PROGRESS

‘Bag o’ Mouth’?: The Promise and Limits of Talk Radio as Civic Engagement and Civil Discourse in Jamaica’.  (Under Review, Taiwan Journal of Democracy)

‘Bad-Man Police; Soldiers as Proxy Police: A Security Dilemma in Transitioning Colonial States’.

‘State weakness and Informerphobia’ (Part 2). (2010). In The Jamaica Gleaner. Available at: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100509/news/news1.html

 ‘Public Radio: Setting New Standards for Decadence?’ (2009) In The Jamaica Gleaner, March 22. Available at: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090322//focus/focus6.html

‘Brand Jamaica = Brand Incivility’ (2008). In The Jamaica Gleaner. March 3. Available at: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080303/news/news6.html

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‘Civic Hypocrisy and the Dancehall Debate’ (2004). In The Jamaica Gleaner. October 10. Available at http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20041010/focus/focus2.html

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Is PJ Patterson’s Legacy Secure?’ (2002). In The Jamaica Gleaner. November 15. p. D2.

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