Are the New International Forums of the Global South anti-Western? Notes from historical and institutional perspectives * Os Novos Fóruns Internacionais do Sul Global são anti-ocidentais? Notas a partir das perspectivas histórica e institucional

Résumé

This paper aims to verify the claims that the new international forums created by countries from the Global South, the BRICS and the IBSA, are anti-Western. Firstly, it reviews the Eurocentric historical literature aiming to determine what it classifies as “Western”, and uses this to evaluate Global South countries and forums. As these preliminary findings are insufficient to conclude anything, it investigates these countries actions within existing organizations – where different national agendas weaken coordination – and the establishment of new forums – which brings more optimistic perspectives. The conclusion is that although these groups might not be labeled “anti-Western”, their coordinate institutionalized action has the potentiality to bring about new structures to the international system with a non-Western paradigm.