Civil Society’s Shifting Role in the Response to Coronavirus

In our Analysis section, contributor Holly Snape explains how local and central policies at first hobbled domestic civil society organizations’ ability to respond to the coronavirus, limiting who could receive donations, and, critically, who could disburse them. Subsequent rule changes mean that groups are now freer to play a role in collecting and distributing funds and material goods—a hopeful sign for the management of this epidemic. Snape also discusses the varied responses the Chinese government has had to civil society participation in previous emergencies, showing that its initial reaction during the coronavirus outbreak lies on the more restrictive end of the spectrum. Read the full analysis here.