Conceptualizing Restrictive Environments for Civil Society

The contraction of civic space has become a defining feature of twenty-first-century governance. This article develops a conceptual framework for understanding restrictive environments faced by civil society organizations (CSOs) worldwide. It examines legal, political, cultural, and digital dimensions of restriction, linking them to different regime types—authoritarian, hybrid, and backsliding democracies. Drawing on theories of civil society, regime change, and authoritarian diffusion, it critically assesses how restrictions emerge, spread, and are experienced across contexts. The analysis integrates Global South perspectives to challenge Northern-centric narratives and reviews key measurement tools such as CIVICUS Monitor, Freedom House, and V-Dem, emphasizing their conceptual limitations. Case illustrations from Russia and China demonstrate how restrictive laws institutionalize control while grassroots actors negotiate survival. The article contributes to both academic and practical understanding by clarifying conceptual boundaries and proposing a multidimensional approach to studying civic space under pressure.