Abstract
Existing conceptualizations of civil society often emphasize its distinction from political institutions and individuals. This article argues for a systematic review of the relationships between civic and political leaders in Latin America, since many civic leaders turn (or return) to political activities in order to carry out local work better. There exist a variety of nuanced relationships between the civil and the political realms. Examples from civil–political relationships in the Dominican Republic in 1999 illustrate this variety of alliances between civic leaders and political parties and demonstrate that they are not necessarily harmful to the democratic order.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
