Essay# 3 Claire de Lespinois: WSF strikes the Empire back

    The alter-globalization movement headed by associations such as the WSF, is often challenged by the impeding idea of a global empire. In spite of efforts by pro-imperialists to market the philosophy of the empire as being a cultural integration, the reality is far closer to a domination of economic and political structure.

    The idea of an empire according to Hardt and Negri is seen as having a ?sovereign power that governs the world? (2000, paragraph 1). This means there would be a set of global rules that would govern everyone, implemented by an elected head. In strong opposition to this viewpoint, the WSF implements public summits in different locations around the globe, chosen without financial or political prejudice. Annually, a country and location is chosen by the WSF and announced over the internet, where then anyone who is interested is invited to go and partake in the discussion of various problems and views in an open forum. In spite of a nominal fee that is required to fund such exchanges, the number of attendees increases each year. The WSF has been overwhelmed by the interest that alter-globalization has garnered so far. As opposed to the idea of a governing head or governing body of dominant countries, the summits afford the possibility of every voice being heard and individual concerns being addressed. (WSF, 2007). There are no set rules that govern these meetings. The only want is that everyone is given an equal opportunity.

     One of the most potentially compelling factors in the progressing idea of imperialism and globalization is the media. In his exert Media Imperialism, Tomlinson challenges the idea that the media has a sole part to play in the manipulation of cultural and economic integration. Tomlinson believes that there are multiple factors contributing to the culture of our world today, and television should not be solely the blame. (2003, p. 127). While the internet, a form of media, is used at the primary tool for communication by the WSF, the annual forums rely heavily on the experiences of the people. They integrate the culture of various communities around the world, using various realms, not just the effects of the media. At the meetings it is understood that there are multiple factors to blame for certain people?s situations, not just the influences of the media as most western culture would like to believe.

    In response to this impeding threat of a global empire, there has been much resistance, especially by attendees of the WSF?s gatherings. As stated by Arundhati Roy at the closing rally of the WSF in Porto Alegre, Brazil, ?what people can do to stand against the idea of ?the Empire? is to ?continue to build public opinion until it becomes a deafening roar? (2003, p. 1). These means holding meetings and communicating in as many ways possible to make sure that each person?s message is heard.



    The expression of individualism is a direct opposition to the idea of a global empire whether it is through religion, art, speech or emotion. In Aldous Huxley?s ?A Brave New World?, he addresses an extreme form of the idea of an empire; where everyone is best suited to the work and thought process that they have been conditioned for; based on race, sex, and social class. Creativity is forbidden and the only emotion permitted is allocated by the empire. Only in the outside supposedly ?savage? settlements are the pages of Shakespeare still allowed to inspire. (Huxley, 1932). Although the imperialists do not advertise such a bleak reality, the underlying constitution remains the same. Some see alter-globalization as a defense against imperialism, against the empire. Others such as Roy see it as a way to fight back against oppression. He says we should provoke an outcry of rebellion ?With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness-and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we?re being brainwashed to believe. The corporate revolution will collapse.?(2003, p. 1).


Resources:

Arundhati, Roy. (2003). Confronting Empire. Vol. 276 Issue 9, p16-16, 1p, The Nation.

Huxley, Aldous (1932). Brave New World, First Perennial Classics ed., New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Hardt, Michael, and Negri, Antonio (2000). ?Preface? (pp.xi-xvii) and Part I (pp. 1-66), Empire. Cambridge, MA, and London, England: Harvard University Press.

Tomlinson, J. (2003). Media imperialism. In L. Parks and S. Kumar (Eds.), Planet TV: A global television reader. Pp. 113-134. New York and London: New York University Press.

WSF Common Space. Retrieved June 7, 2007, from the world wide web: http://wsfprocess.net/front-page?set_language=en&cl=en.

Posted at 11:23AM Jun 08, 2007 by DELESPINOIS, CATHERINE in General  |  Comments[2]