Page 373 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

9781412934633-Chap-23 1/10/09 8:55 AM Page 344

344 THE ISA HANDBOOK IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGY

and the Amazon region. Preserving clean globalization, the movement proposes an
water in rivers and lakes is also the theme of alternative type of globalization, based on
several movements and councils. respect for different local cultures. This was
At the beginning of this millennium, an as its contribution to the construction of a net-
yet diffuse movement against violence devel- work of globalization based on solidarity.
oped, especially in large urban centres. We Some of the anti-globalization movements
certainly already had a Human Rights move- were present at the First, Second, Third and
ment and this has played an important and Fifth Social Forums in Porto Alegre in 2001,
fundamental role since the struggles of the 2002, 2003 and 2005; and those in 2006 in
1970s and 1980s. The Human Rights move- Venezuela and in 2007 in Kenya.
ments have created national networks and are
associated with international networks such
as Amnesty International. However, at the
moment, due to an overall lack of security THE POPULAR MOVEMENTS IN
within Brazilian society, the movement BRAZIL
against violence in the cities has gained
strength. Organized in neighbourhoods, it Urban popular movements
represents a clamour of civil society in the
area of public security, to seek protection for It is important to emphasize that the socio-
the lives of citizens as they go about their political setting described in the first part of
daily business. Public opinion polls show this chapter has contributed to changes in
that safety has become the population’s main popular movements. In recent years, the
concern, far greater than the fear of unem- problems and the demands in poor areas have
ployment or of contracting a serious illness. not diminished but have increased. The arena
The movements against violence in urban of strikes has changed because the forms of
centres are based on localized groups and organization have changed too. The move-
actions, and motivated by personal loss; they ments started to participate in networks with
have begun to create networks, to mobilize governmental entities, as the councils of
the neighbourhood community associations, management (even though, as is mentioned
which are often intimidated by organized in the first part of this chapter, most public
armed groups in the region. The movement policies are formulated in partnership with
against urban violence has organized NGOs and civil associations, and not with
marches, street demonstrations and so on. the members of movements).
Even the student movement, which repeat- The popular movements have always been
edly makes entrances and exits from the heterogeneous in terms of issues and demands.
public stage, has played an important role in They are united by their socio-economic
the anti-violence movement, in campaigns needs. In the 1990s, they created and devel-
such as disarming the population. oped networks and relationships with other
To complete the present overview of urban social movements (from the rural areas, as
social movements, we must not fail to men- MST), with unions, other social bodies,
tion the anti-globalization movement, which political parties and religious entities, NGOs
is also present in Brazil, and although in its and so on. However, profound alterations
infancy, is well organized. Despite the differ- have taken place in daily life where the inter-
ences existing within this movement, which nal dynamics are generated. On the one hand,
is composed of a network of networks, it they have lost visibility in the urban areas; on
combines criticism of the causes of poverty, the other hand, they have incorporated other
social exclusion and conflicts with the search elements, and with this have left the level of
for and creation of a consensus that makes general demands, and achieved a more oper-
joint action possible. Together with economic ational level, that of proposals. Although the