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

Since the Seattle demonstrations of 1999, a wave of protest has emerged worldwide against the effects of neo-liberalism. First labelled "anti-globalization" then "alternative globalization", the movement has found that its principles are increasingly echoed by other resistance groups, international and local alike. The birth of the alternative globalization 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 globalization, 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 analyze 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 globalization 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 organizational models as well as specific repertoires of activity bound to their various political cultures. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]