The Dynamics of Civil Society Formation and Transformation in the Philippine Peace Movement: The Bangsamoro Struggle for a Just and Lasting Peace

Abstract

Civil society is recognised as comprising complex and multifaceted entities, resilient to and yet responsive to both the state apparatus and global market processes. Civil society in the Philippines, long regarded as one of the most vibrant, diverse and innovative in Asia, has emerged as a significant actor in the field of conflict resolution and peace-building during the past decade. Drawing on contemporary debates on the significance of key constructs in development and democratic discourses such as social capital, this paper interrogates the entanglements between civil society, the state and combatant groups and how such relationships have transformed the Philippine peace movement. In thinking about the work of peace, the effectiveness of civil society groups in mobilising societal awareness concerning the Bangsamoro struggle for a ‘just and lasting peace’ is examined. Questions pertaining to the effectiveness of such interventions in strengthening conflict prevention and peace-building are situated within contemporary debates concerning civil society’s role in development and democratisation processes.