Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part H (2025)

In recent years, "civil society" has become a prominent topic in academic circles both domestically and internationally. Jean L. Cohen and Andrew Arato's work, Civil Society and Political Theory, grounded in Western social reality, provides a systematic interpretation of modern civil society theory and has exerted considerable influence in academia. This paper takes their work as its core text to systematically study Cohen's theoretical system of civil society. The main body of the paper is divided into three parts: Firstly, in terms of intellectual origins, it traces the conceptual development from Aristotle to Hobbes, Locke, and Montesquieu, while examining the theoretical legacies of Hegel, Marx, Gramsci, and Habermas, thereby clarifying Cohen’s critique, inheritance, and transcendence of earlier thinkers. Secondly, regarding theoretical construction, it systematically elucidates the theoretical foundations, core pathways, and practical bases for her reconstruction of civil society by analyzing Cohen's discussions on discourse ethics, social theory, and social movements. Finally, regarding theoretical evaluation, it assesses her contributions from both theoretical and practical dimensions: theoretically, Cohen's civil society theory not only advances the contemporary conceptual understanding of civil society but also fills certain gaps in democratic theory; practically, her ideas hold significant referential value for promoting the discursive revival of contemporary civil society and the harmonious development of modern society.