Cross-readings of the antiglobalisation movement in Turkey and beyond. Political culture in the making

Abstract

Since the Seattle demonstrations of 1999, a wave of protest has emerged worldwide against the effects of neo-liberalism. First labelled "anti-globalisation" then "alternative globalisation", the movement has found that its principles are increasingly echoed by other resistance groups, international and local alike. The birth of the alternative globalisation movement in Turkey is one such example. In this essay, we will explore the national political culture of Turkish social movements in relation to Turkish alternative globalisation, and how this national culture relates to the global political culture hostile to neo-liberalism that was generated at the World Social Forum. We will examine the interaction between distinct political cultures that experiment a more or less global vision of social and political struggle. Using Turkey as a model, we will analyse the connections between initiatives put forth by the local, national and world social forums. By studying the history of Turkish protest groups within the alternative globalisation nebula and by charting the participation of these groups in social forums, we will also examine the intricate relationships between these resistance groups and the mutual effects of such relationships: the subsequent transfer of knowledge and organisational models as well as specific repertoires of activity bound to their various political cultures.