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A movement in the making? Understanding the impact of today's movement for global justice

Posted on:2007-01-01Degree:Ph.DType:Thesis
University:York University (Canada)Candidate:Harden, Joel DavisonFull Text:PDF
GTID:2445390005978992Subject:Political science
Abstract/Summary:
In recent years, a diverse movement for global justice has emerged in opposition to neoliberal restructuring and imperialist foreign policy. This thesis assesses this movement in historical perspective. In doing so, a lineage of activist projects for global justice is traced to Europe's Industrial Revolution, and the forced export of that revolution to the rest of the world. With this context in mind, this thesis surveys academic and activist perspectives on today's movement for global justice. While retaining valuable insights from these sources, a new theoretical framework is proposed (inspired by socialist thinkers) that queries the site, agency, mode and imaginary of today's movement for global justice.;Using this conceptual approach, this thesis explores the particular efforts of recent international solidarity campaigns, trade union struggles, and new political parties inspired by today's movement for global justice. In each of these cases, one notices remarkable contributions in the site, agency, mode and imaginary of radical politics. Also recurring, it is argued, are two trends in global dissent. "Participatory radicalism", the first of these, denotes a preference among activists for inclusive, large-scale campaigns that identify the source of common grievances. A related activist tendency to search out "new solidarities" is also evident in today's movement for global justice, as new relationships of trust have emerged between protest actors in the course of successive events. To encourage further research on these developments, the thesis restates the value of socialist thought, and draws on this tradition to raise important questions for today's global radicals.
Keywords/Search Tags:Movement for global justice, Thesis
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