International NGOs and Global Solidarity. A Focus on Spanish Society

Abstract

Several analysts have pointed out the emergence of a global consciousness that is closely related to the process of globalization of social life. It has been considered that this global consciousness, which is supported on an expansion of the geographical space of responsibility from which citizens feel they are being begged for aid, is encouraged by the revolution of information and communication technologies (ICT), the contents broadcast by theq mass media and the action of international NGOs. From the context of these and starting from the data contained in a CIS survey (E-2419), this paper seeks to contrast empirically the hypothesis of the modifying action of the «cultural reference frameworks» of the international NGOs and its role in the proliferation of feelings of global solidarity, as well as the distribution of such sentiment in Spanish
society. In order to do this, an operationalization of the empirical dimensions of solidarity is proposed first, and secondly, the influence that membership of various types of associations and organizations has on the dimensions of solidarity is analysed, and lastly, an examination is made of the degree to which these latter are associated with different positions on the social structure.