Shaping Civil Society: Media, Donors and Public Trust in Southeast Asian NGOs

Abstract

This dissertation examines how perceptions of civil society are shaped by social media, organizational attributes, and elite media narratives. Empirically, I focus on perceptions of environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) in Southeast Asia. Combining a cross-national survey, a conjoint experiment, and machine learning analysis, this three-paper dissertation investigates the following questions: (1) How does social media usage influence trust in NGOs compared to governmental institutions in hybrid and authoritarian regimes? (2) What organizational traits drive donor support for ENGOs? (3) How do elite media portrayals of ENGOs differ based on their service or advocacy orientations? Chapter 1 utilizes the Asian Barometer Data to explore if social media enhances trust in NGOs by creating civic spaces for political expression, while eroding confidence in governmental institutions due to public scrutiny of the state on these platforms. I determine that social media usage is associated with reduced trust in governmental institutions but enhances trust in NGOs. Chapter 2 uses a conjoint experiment in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore to examine donor preferences for ENGOs. I find that individual donors favor organizations that prioritize regional issues, partner with regional organizations and promote gender inclusive leadership. Chapter 3 analyzes English-language media coverage of Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) using machine learning techniques. I find systematic biases against advocacy orientated organizations. Service-oriented ENGOs like WWF received positive, trust-laden portrayals while groups like Greenpeace are framed as disruptive and face negative sentiment. This dissertation advances debates on civil society's role under restrictive regimes and the potential future of environmental organizations in emerging donor markets. The findings highlight the importance of a locally rooted civil society, one that is funded and supported by domestic actors, as a foundation for greater legitimacy.