Civil Society Series

We aim to contribute to the development of the field and foster dialogue among stakeholders by translating international resources related to civil society into Turkish. The following books have been published to date as part of the Civil Society Series, which we have launched in collaboration with Koç University Press (KÜY) and the Koç University Center for Civil Society and Philanthropy Research (KUSITHAM):

Civil Society: The Critical History of an Idea JOHN EHRENBERG Koç University Press (2021)

In his book, John Ehrenberg examines both the benefits and limitations of civil society, summarizing its political and theoretical evolution while defining its place in academic and public discourse. Ehrenberg explores what the concept of civil society, with its significant reflections throughout every era—from Aristotle and Enlightenment philosophers to Black Lives Matter and the Occupy movements—can offer to contemporary political issues. He delves into how events like 9/11, the global financial crisis, economic inequality, and rapidly advancing technologies have shaped our relationship with modern civil society. “Civil Society” offers a comprehensive view of a fundamental element of political life, calling for action against growing inequalities.

The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically, Peter Singer, Koç University Press (2023)

Known for his work in the fields of practical ethics, utilitarianism, animal rights, and speciesism, Australian philosopher Peter Singer, professor emeritus of bioethics at Princeton University, in The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically, Peter Singer brings the concept of altruism, which has been an important topic of debate in the history of philosophy for more than two centuries, into the realm of practical ethics. According to this understanding of philanthropy, it is not enough for those who want to do good to donate a small portion of their wealth to charity, but what is ethically right and legitimate is to use what is left over from what is used to sustain one’s own life for the benefit of others.