Civil Society under Authoritarian Rule: Partnership, Control and Resistance in Cambodia

by Melissa Curley

Overview

How does an authoritarian regime suppress dissent whilst leveraging civil society for its own ends? This study examines Cambodia's transformation from the 1990s to today, revealing the state's strategy of 'flexible coerciveness'—a dual approach of restricting political space while co-opting civil society organizations for governance gains.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781529249019
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	08/01/2026
Series:	Spaces of Peace, Security and Development
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Melissa Curley is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland, New Zealand.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Situating Authoritarian Governance

1. Introduction

2. Conceptual Framework

Part 2: Governing to Control

3. Controlling Individualized Dissent

4. Controlling Collective Dissent

5. Structuring Participation

Part 3: Governing to Harness

6. Modes of Societal Incorporation

7. Filling the Void of State Capacity

Part 4: Evolving Authoritarianism and Civil Society Strategies

8. Developing ‘Flexible Coerciveness’ in State-society Relations

9. Conclusion