Presents a comprehensive analysis of UN engagement with civil society. This book pays particular attention to food and agriculture, which now lie at the heart of global governance issues. It shows how politically meaningful space for civil society can be introduced into UN policy dialog.

Part I: Setting the Stage1. Scope and Methodology2. A World Context in Flux: Challenges to Multilateralism and the Quest for Global Governance3. Global Actors in Evolution: From International NGOs to Transnational Social Movements4. Getting the Terms StraightPart II: The FAO, Civil Society and the Global Governance of Food and Agriculture5. Background6. Civil Society and the World Food Summit7. From Commitments to Action: Civil Society and the FAO on the Trail of Elusive Political Will8. The Global Food Crisis: A Political Opportunity for Civil Society?Part III: Comparative Look at UN-Civil Society Engagement9. Civil Society Participation in Global Policy Forums10. Civil Society and Summit Follow-up: Linking Global Commitments and Local Action11. Governance of UN-Civil Society Relations: Interface Mechanisms and the Issues of Representativity, Legitimacy and Accountability12. UN Reform Proposals, the Millennium Development Goals and Civil Society: Are We on the Right Track?Part IV: Conclusions and Open Issues13. Major Challenges for the United Nations in its Relations with Civil Society14. Issues for Further InvestigationBibliographyAnnex: Cross-System Survey Responding EntitiesIndex

'Nora McKeon's book is a masterful investigation of how and why the UN system is (slowly) opening up to civil society - a key development in global governance. This is a major contribution and a rare bridge between academic scholarship and policy debate' Mario Pianta, University of Urbino 'This book is a tonic recipe for reinvigorating the UN by opening up its forums to the social actors most dramatically affected by globalization. This is required reading for all those concerned with global governance' Henri Carsalade, Former Assistant Director-General of FAO 'Nora McKeon's reflections will, we hope, contribute to making the UN the organization of "we the peoples" ' Mamadou Cissokho, Honorary President, West African Network of Peasant and Agricultural Producers' Organizations (ROPPA)