Are Social Forums Withering Away ?

Abstract

This study focuses on the Social Forums which were created in 2001 aiming to be the voice of anti-globalisation movement in a time of globalisation process against international organisations such as the WEF, the WTO, the IMF, the WB, and G7/G8 which are thought to be as pioneers, advocates and representatives of neo-liberal philosophy and understanding. After the existence of the World Social Forum-WSF, thematic forums, regional forums, and national and local forums were also created accordingly. All of the Social Forums have been developed as global action platforms that mobilize the masses around the world and reveal social principles against the globalisation order. This study aims to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness and transformation of social forums, especially the WSF taking the 21 years into account. This article argues that Social Forums formed a discourse, action and policy in their founding years, and nowadays they have lost their effectiveness and weakened especially in terms of mass participation, creating excitement and offering an alternative suitable to the motto "another world is possible". The method of this research consists of a literature review, conceptual analysis and the author’s observations by participation in some of the Social Forums. This study compiles many non-academic elements such as the documents and statements published as a result of the social forums and the views of the leading activists of the social forums and considers them from the academic perspective.