Social forum
Encyclopedia
A Social Forum is an open meeting place for civil society organizations
and individuals opposed to neoliberalism
and the domination of the world by capital
and imperialism
. The first Social Forum was the World Social Forum
(WSF) held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre
. It was designed as a counter forum to the World Economic Forum
(WEF) held in Davos
at the same time. While the WEF is a meeting of the political and economic elite of the world, the WSF gathers social forces and promotes democratization and social justice.
After the first WSF, the Social Forum idea was replicated across the world in various transnational, national, and local Social Forums. Most, though not all, Social Forums adhere to the WSF Charter of Principles drawn up by the International Council of the WSF. The diversity of actors participating in the Social Forums has become iconic for the diversity of the Global Justice Movement
(or Anti-Globalization Movement
).
For more details see the article on the World Social Forum
.
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
and individuals opposed to neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
and the domination of the world by capital
Capital (economics)
In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process...
and imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
. The first Social Forum was the World Social Forum
World Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
(WSF) held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
. It was designed as a counter forum to the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
(WEF) held in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
at the same time. While the WEF is a meeting of the political and economic elite of the world, the WSF gathers social forces and promotes democratization and social justice.
After the first WSF, the Social Forum idea was replicated across the world in various transnational, national, and local Social Forums. Most, though not all, Social Forums adhere to the WSF Charter of Principles drawn up by the International Council of the WSF. The diversity of actors participating in the Social Forums has become iconic for the diversity of the Global Justice Movement
Global Justice Movement
The Global Justice Movement is a network or constellation of globalized social movements opposing what is often known as the “corporate globalization” and promoting equal distribution of economic resources.-Movement of movements:...
(or Anti-Globalization Movement
Anti-globalization movement
The anti-globalization movement, or counter-globalisation movement, is critical of the globalization of corporate capitalism. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement, alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist movement, anti-corporate globalization movement, or...
).
For more details see the article on the World Social Forum
World Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
.
Transnational Social Forums
(List incomplete!)- African Social Forum
- Americas Social Forum
- Asian Social ForumAsian Social ForumThe Asian Social Forum was a left-wing conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement...
- European Social ForumEuropean Social ForumThe European Social Forum is a recurring conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement . In the first few years after it started in 2002 the conference was held every year, but later it became biannual due to difficulties with finding host countries...
(ESF) - Mediterranean Social ForumMediterranean Social ForumThe Mediterranean Social Forum is the first interregional Social Forum, created between movements from Europe, Maghreb and Mediterranean Middle East...
- Pan-amazon Social Forum
- Southern Africa Social ForumSouthern Africa Social ForumThe Southern African Social Forum is a Social Forum conference held in a different Southern Africa county each year.It is organised in the spirit of the World Social Forum but is not organized by the WSF Secretariat or the International Council...
- World Social ForumWorld Social ForumThe World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
National Social Forums
(List incomplete!)- Austrian Social Forum
- Belgian Social Forum
- Belarussian Social Forum
- Danish Social Forum
- Finnish Social Forum
- German Social Forum
- Greek Social Forum
- Hungarian Social Forum
- Norwegian Social Forum
- Romanian Social Forum
- Swiss Social Forum
- Thai Social Forum
- Turkish Social Forum
- United States Social Forum
Germany
- Berlin Social Forum
- Bremen Social Forum
- Bochum Social Forum
- Erlangen Social Forum
- Freiburg Social Forum
- Heidelberg Social Forum
- Leipzig Social Forum
- Pforzheim Social Forum
- Reutlingen Social Forum
- Saar Social Forum
- Tübingen Socil Forum
Great Britain
- Cardiff Social Forum
- Liverpool Social ForumLiverpool Social ForumThe Liverpool Social Forum is a fortnightly meeting held in Liverpool, England. It is influenced by the alter-globalisation principles of the European Social Forum , and a number of Liverpudlians attended the 2004 ESF in London....
- London Social Forum
- Manchester Social Forum
- Sheffield Social Forum
Sweden
Overview- Gothenburg Social Forum
- Skåne Social Forum
- Stockholm Social Forum
- Umeå Social Forum
- Uppsala Social Forum
USA
- Boston Social ForumBoston Social ForumThe Boston Social Forum was the first North American social forum to use the methodology of the World Social Forum process and adhere closely to its Charter of Principles...
- Midwest Social ForumMidwest Social ForumThe Midwest Social Forum is an annual gathering that creates a space for grassroots organizations, community activists, educators, students, and others committed to social justice to come together to exchange experiences and information, strengthen alliances and networks, and devise strategies for...
- Southeast Social ForumSoutheast Social ForumThe Southeast Social Forum was a gathering of about 550 people that took place in Durham, North Carolina, from June 16 to June 18, 2006, at North Carolina Central University. The attendees were people of all ages, and were mostly members of organizations from around the Southeastern United States...
- Local to Global JusticeLocal to Global JusticeLocal to Global Justice is a nonprofit volunteer organization based in Tempe, Arizona, USA. It sponsors events dealing with social justice issues, mostly held on and around the Arizona State University Tempe campus...
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