Civil Definition and 237 Threads

The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil servant is a person employed in the public sector by a government department or agency or public sector undertakings. Civil servants work for central government and state governments, and answer to the government, not a political party. The extent of civil servants of a state as part of the "civil service" varies from country to country. In the United Kingdom, for instance, only Crown (national government) employees are referred to as civil servants whereas employees of Local Authorities (counties, cities and similar administrations) are generally referred to as "local government civil service officers" who are public servants but not civil servants. A civil servant is a public servant but a public servant is not necessarily a civil servant.
The study of the civil service is a part of the field of public service. Staff members in "non-departmental public bodies" (sometimes called "QUANGOs") may also be classed as civil servants for the purpose of statistics and possibly for their terms and conditions. Collectively a state's civil servants form its civil service or public service. The concept arose in China and modern civil service developed in Britain in the 18th century.
An international civil servant or international staff member is a civilian employee who is employed by an intergovernmental organization. These international civil servants do not resort under any national legislation (from which they have immunity of jurisdiction) but are governed by internal staff regulations. All disputes related to international civil service are brought before special tribunals created by these international organizations such as, for instance, the Administrative Tribunal of the ILO. Specific referral can be made to the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) of the United Nations, an independent expert body established by the United Nations General Assembly. Its mandate is to regulate and coordinate the conditions of service of staff in the United Nations common system, while promoting and maintaining high standards in the international civil service.

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  1. A

    Civil and Environmental Engineering Q's

    I'm 19 and I feel I have a good grasp of Physics & Mathematics. I also did very well in Chemistry. I like to tutor/help out a lot and I feel that my advice is somewhat useful :p (hopefully). I was looking into either Architecture or Civil & Environmental Engineering. I feel Civil &...
  2. S

    What Does CIVIL Mean in Electrical Engineering?

    Does anybody know what the expression CIVIL means when dealing with reactance, capacitors etc? Thanks S Browitt
  3. S

    Schools Civil Engineering @ University of Miami

    What do you think? A. BSc in Physics with Medical applications@Kings College, University of London or B. Double Major Physics with Civil Engineering @ University of Miami (FL) Note option B takes 4 years while option A 3. Both options are identical financially because expenses are...
  4. Pyrrhus

    Graduate Studies in Civil Engineering

    Hey everybody, i am an undergraduate student of Civil Engineering. I'll be graduating in August 2007, hopefully. I am currently looking for Universities in Spain, USA and Canada for my graduate studies. I'll be focusing on Structural Engineering and Geomechanics. So far my list of...
  5. T

    Which is the Broadest Engineering Discipline?

    Hi all. I'm a junior at University of Colorado at Denver and am studying civil engineering. I was a little confused about which is the broadest of engineering. I've heard that civil is because it's been around the longest and also have heard that mechanical is. Which one do you guys think is...
  6. T

    Convection question? MechE or Civil?

    convection question?? MechE or Civil? I'm just asking out of curiosity, and I'm just a first year engg student...so it maybe non-senses... In an enclosed system, with heat being generated. Let's say a very fancy toast factory, where bread becomes toast. The factory itself have already...
  7. Ivan Seeking

    News Is Civil War in Iraq Unavoidable?

    For the sake of the millions of Iraqis caught in the middle of this, I hope and pray that they can see this through. But from the start my perception has been that civil war is inevitable as soon as we leave; no matter when we leave. I forget him name, but in the words of one noted military...
  8. N

    Calculating Muzzle Velocity of a Spring-Powered Civil War Cannon

    As a hobby, you like to participate in reenactments of Civil War battles. Civil War cannons were muzzle loeaded, meaning that the gunpowder and the cannonball were inserted into the output end of the muzzle, then tamped into place with a long plunger. To recreate the authenticity of...
  9. J

    Why Do Companies Join Multiple Nuclear Consortia?

    I've got a question on these large consortiums (of US and some French firms) that have been formed to work on nuclear constructions in the US. I wasn't sure where exactly to post, so please feel free to move. NuStart is an example of the type of consortium I'm wondering about. It appears to...
  10. N

    Help with Civil Engineering Chemistry Homework

    Hi everyone! First of all let me say how happy i am that there is such a place where i can ask help with homework. I am studing civil engineering and i am having problems with chemistry :frown: :shy: I got homework to do and i finished all the tasks except this one and i would reallllyyyy be...
  11. Pyrrhus

    Finding the Right Hydrology Book for Civil Engineering Students

    Does anybody knows of a good hydrology book?? I am a civil engineering student, i want mostly applied stuff and at the undergraduate level.
  12. J

    Can Civil Engineers and Architects Collaborate?

    Hello I am a sophmore Civil student and I was thinking about talking to some small architectural firms in my area about possible internships or workstudy options. How do you think they will react? I chose Civil Engineering because I felt like it would allow me a wide range of...
  13. JamesU

    News Civil Rights Icon Rosa Parks Dies a 92

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/24/parks.obit/index.html
  14. P

    News Is the FBI Overstepping Its Surveillance Authority?

    Some papers are being released at present, that indicate that the FBI has not been following the 'rules.' Most notably from my perspective, they have been keeping people under surveillance without proper paperwork to do so...
  15. russ_watters

    Slavery and the Causes of the Civil War

    Taken from the Confederate Flag thread in Politics... All of the "deep south" states seceded immediatly following Lincoln's election. The four "border states" that did not secede did not secede precisely because there was no clear preference for slavery in those states. Delaware had few...
  16. M

    News Civil War in Iraq: Is This Not a Small-Scale Conflict?

    First, as the number of bombings go up, and as the fear escalates to the point where a rumor of a suicide bomber turns into a stampede killing over 1000, I wonder how long a Shiite can live with the fact that a sunni is living next to him. I wonder how long until a shiite won't live in the same...
  17. M

    News Police State of the USA/The loss of civil liberties at home

    "Utah Ravers Treated Like Terrorists" http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/8/22/13030/7546 Police raided a legal event without a warrant and teargassed people who didnt deserve it. There is video and pictures for proof as well. ACLU is involved, and lawsuits are being filed against the...
  18. S

    News Should There Be Legal Protections from Frivolous Civil Lawsuits?

    Just thinking about those people like Eminem who people keep trying to sue, and end up having to pay huge amounts of money in legal bills to defend themselves. I was wondering if there are any laws to protect someone from having to pay this if they are found.. (whatever the civil-law equivalent...
  19. SOS2008

    News Could the culture war become civil war?

    Ignorance only seems to be bliss, and it has been used throughout history to control the masses, particularly by organized religion. The thread on Bush endorsing ID is just one of many examples of how he and his cohorts have been working against science (e.g., stem cell research, global...
  20. L

    Civil Engineering in US: Departments & Majors/Minors

    What civil engineering departments in the U.S. would you recomend? Also what would be a good major/minor to combine with civil engineering (Construction Engineering)?
  21. U

    Is Civil Disobedience Still Effective Today?

    would civil disobedience work? henry david thoreau argued that for the most effective way of changing our government is to remove ourselves from it, i.e. not paying taxes and even going to prison if need be. i believe that is not practical in todays society, (family, gang rapes in prison...
  22. A

    News The Ultimate Loss of Civil Liberties: Innocent Man Shot Dead in UK

    Hello all I've just read today's BBC main news story: This is barbarism.
  23. wasteofo2

    News The banning of homosexual marriage, and banning of Civil unions.

    As I'm sure most of you know, on Nov. 2, there were ballot initiatives in 11 states to define marriage as between a man and a woman exclusively, they all passed with considerable margins. In 8 of the 11 states there were further provision to essentially eliminate homosexual civil unions as a...
  24. O

    News Iraq: Civil War Result of Bush Regime

    Iraq is definitely a civil war, a fight against the US leading regime. In sells, where a company rips off a customer, that customer tells ten people and those ten people tell ten people. So do the victimized civilians in Iraq when the Bush regime bombs come. Bush blame the civilians by...
  25. V

    Civil Engineering: Advice and Comments Wanted

    Hello, I posted this on the engineering thread but it hasn't gotten much attention. I just wanted to know if anyone has any comments, good or bad on civil engineering as a college major or even a career for that matter. Any comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.
  26. V

    Civil Engineering: Advice on Career Benefits & Challenges

    Does anyone have any advice on civil engineering as a career? What are the good/bad sides of the profession? Any advice would be greatly appreciated:)
  27. T

    News Local democrat discriminates during civil rights tour -

    Catching the winds of inspiration from the White Racist Republican Wins Seat thread -------- I had heard about Councilman Joe Brown, from Memphis, Tennessee, but not until this thread was it worth posting ---- So, as Exhibit 1 - if you would take a look at some real down home racism – I give...
  28. M

    News Civil rights are only for minorites.

    "California education chief calls preschooler 'stupid dirty girl' Riordan apologizes for remark" Friday, July 9, 2004 Posted: 7:13 AM EDT (1113 GMT) LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- State Education Secretary Richard Riordan jokingly told a child her name, Isis, meant "stupid dirty girl,"...
  29. pelastration

    News Bush's War against Civil Liberties

    The Son of Patriot Act Also Rises* Quotes from: http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,63800,00.html?tw=newsletter_topstories_html While activists and politicians work to repeal or change parts of the Patriot Act that they say violate constitutional rights, Patriot Act II legislation...
  30. P

    Answer to 'What is a Civil Engineer?'

    Just wanted to share this tidbit since the Civil Eng forum died of loneliness. (quote by Patricia Galloway, from her acceptance speech in becoming the 1st woman president of ASCE at the 2003 Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition held in Nashville Tennessee, 11/15/03) The "most...
  31. A

    News Rebuff for Bush on civil liberties

    Well, now that a US court has agreed with what the world has been saying for two years...
  32. J

    Who Were the Key Figures of the Civil War? A Brief Overview

    HELP! Civil War PROJECT! I need some info on... Frederick Douglass Clara Barton U.S.S. Carondelet PLEASE HELP!
  33. J

    Who were notable figures and vessels during the Civil War?

    HELP! Civil War PROJECT! I need some info on... Frederick Douglass Clara Barton U.S.S. Carondelet PLEASE HELp!
  34. D

    News Will there be an Israeli Civil War?

    Subj: Re: Declaration of War Date: 11/20/03 10:22:47 PM Eastern Standard Time From: familyp@netvision.net.il To: Dbenariel@aol.com The declaration of war was issued by Ben Gurion when the MAPAM-MAPAI Bolchevique cadres decided to create a "new Jew" rather than restoring the TEMPLE...
  35. Bubonic Plague

    Homosexuals to be hired in civil service jobs

    Recently, the Singapore government has started relaxing rules, one of which is the allowance of homosexuals to be hired in civil service jobs. And just today, i read in the Straits Times forum that some people disagree with this move. The article can be found...
  36. M

    What are the career options in Civil Engineering?

    I am planning on majoring in Civil Engineering in my first four years of college. After I get a bachelor's I figured I would work for about 2 or 3 years and figure out what I really like in the field, then go back to school and major in that. I've heard bad stories about going to work and then...
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