Teaching Paper: Glossary of Advocacy and Legitimacy Concepts – Comprehensive Terms for Understanding NGO Policy Influence and Civil Society Dynamics

NGO advocacy and legitimacy are complex and interconnected domains that depend on a shared conceptual foundation. This Teaching Paper compiles a comprehensive glossary of key terms that define how NGOs influence policy, build legitimacy, and navigate governance systems. Each entry provides an academically grounded definition with a practical application note for real-world NGO work. Covering over forty concepts—ranging from accountability, coalition-building, and framing to transnational networks and legitimacy paradoxes—the glossary serves as both a scholarly reference and a professional toolkit. It enables educators, practitioners, and students to speak a common language across disciplines and regions, strengthening clarity and coherence in the study and practice of advocacy and civil society engagement.