Teaching Paper: Restrictive Laws and Civil Society – Understanding Global Trends in NGO Regulation

Civil society organizations (CSOs) play a crucial role in advancing democratic governance, protecting human rights, and providing essential services. However, since the late 2000s, restrictive laws have proliferated globally, limiting NGOs’ access to funding, imposing administrative burdens, and stigmatizing advocacy. This Teaching Paper analyzes legal trends across eight countries—Russia, Ethiopia, China, India, Hungary, Egypt, Belarus, and Cambodia—demonstrating how authoritarian diffusion shapes these policies. By linking theory and practice, it equips scholars and practitioners with tools to understand the intent, mechanisms, and implications of such restrictions, while also suggesting adaptive strategies for NGOs facing shrinking civic space. The paper situates legal repression within broader global governance debates, emphasizing the importance of resilience, local agency, and international solidarity in sustaining civil society under pressure.