This paper explores a counter-weight to anti-democratic trends suggested by civil society theory: mediating structures (also known as ‘intermediate’ or ‘intermediary’ organizations). We look briefly at the range of ways in which the concept has been used in social science and then focus on literature which employs the concept specifically in the context of debates about sustainable democracy We discern from the theoretical literature four distinct functions said to be performed in democracies by mediating structures and we offer case examples of organizations which perform those functions in the contemporary real world. We conclude by providing pointers to how mediating structures might be identified, supported and sustained in the face of anti-democratic trends today.

This paper discusses the capacity of communities to be resilient in the face of disasters. This is the question of what allows communities to rebuild after a major destructive event and preferably to “build back better.” The paper lists six qualities of resilient communities drawn from the literature researching these events: organizations are flexible; they have strong leadership; there is strong community learning; they are effective at collective problem solving and cooperation; social capital and civil society are strong; and communities effectively engage with helping institutions beyond their boundaries. The paper relates each quality to social capital, to the ways the three types of social capital—bonding, bridging, and linking—are interconnected, and to preparatory methods that might be used to strengthen social capital so that communities may be more resilient.

This paper highlights the important role democratically organized non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating at the local level play in fostering economic development. This view runs counter to modernization theory's claim that a significant level of economic development must be achieved before democratic organization is possible. It uses Ethiopia as a case study of the cultural infrastructure of civil society and uses case examples of local NGOs to show the importance of local-level democracy for economic development. We argue that local civil society organizations (CSOs) tend to threaten political leaders, the example of Ethiopia showing initial government acceptance and then growing resistance to CSOs, the most recent example of being the passing of an anti-NGO law. We argue that such government repression threatens opportunities for economic development that are generated by local-level NGOs.