Scientific event

This book, titled "Civil Society in Algeria: Strategies, Objectives and Mechanisms. A Sociological Study", aims to provide a socio-historical approach to civil society in Algeria through four fundamental chapters. These chapters bridge the historical and sociological dimensions of the concept of civil society by tracing the seeds of its emergence from the Greek era, through the rise of the nation-state in Europe, and continuing to its conceptualization in Western thought — among the most prominent Western thinkers — as well as in Arabic thought. The book highlights its components, objectives, and roles, while examining the specific nature of its relationship with core concepts in political sociology such as the State, democracy, and citizenship.
In a key section of the book, we review the emergence of the first seeds of a civil society within the Algerian context across its social, cultural, and economic dimensions. This explores the period prior to French colonization, specifically during the Ottoman era. Here, we observe the attempts of Algerian society during this historical epoch to carve out the initial features of a civil society in transition and formation, based on the practices of traditional Algerian society in managing certain public affairs.
As the association is the most vital component of civil society, we have attempted to trace the development of the associative movement since the Ottoman era. The Waqf (endowment) represents an Islamic culture par excellence. This culture contributed to fostering solidarity within society away from the control of ruling authorities, particularly in social and educational spheres. The Waqf is considered a strong indicator of the rise of associative work, falling among the earliest seeds of civil society formation in its traditional guise under Turkish rule.
Following France's occupation of Algeria on July 5, 1830, the colonization was accompanied by the enactment of several French laws. Among the legislations upon which the colonizer relied to consolidate its presence and occupation was the Associations Act of July 5, 1901. Various social, economic, cultural, and athletic organizations emerged following the passage of the 1901 law. Consequently, Algerians (then referred to as "indigènes" or natives) benefited from this law to establish cultural, religious, and sports organizations, despite colonial harassment and restrictions aimed at preventing the founding of native-specific associations. For the post-independence period, we examine the evolution of the associative movement across four distinct stages: from independence to 1971; from 1971 to 1979; from 1979 to 1989; and from 1989 to the contemporary era.
Regarding the sociological dimension, we have attempted to deconstruct the problem of civil society formation — using the establishment of associations by civic actors as a model — through the concept of "strategy," which we broke down into two dimensions: objectives and mechanisms. In this regard, we sought to highlight the strategic approach employed by associative actors in shaping their organizations. We supported our study with fieldwork conducted on a sample of 19 associations operating across various municipalities in the Wilaya of Ain Temouchent in diverse fields including cultural, environmental, and charitable sectors, spanning the period between July 2018 and March 2019.
We concluded our study with an entire chapter addressing the most significant findings. Through a socio-historical approach, these results confirm that civil society in Algeria undergoes a continuous historical process of construction and formation, extending from the Ottoman era through the French colonial period, up to the post-independence era. Throughout this final stage, civil society has continued to evolve, keeping pace with shifting laws while coexisting with diverse cultural, social, economic, and political contexts. Ultimately, the text before us firmly confirms the substantive existence of an Algerian civil society