Beyond the law: agonism as a principle of social movements action

Abstract

It is a naïve dream of some social movements to think that one social struggle finishes when a law, that assures a particular right to an identity, is published. The publication of a law to constitute a right for an identity is not enough to recognize it, neither as this specific right, nor as a difference constituted. Therefore, the aims of this article are basically two. First, to affirm that the law can serve as instrument to conform social movements. Second, to propose that the social movements struggles must be constantly pointing out in two ways: firstly, an internal mobilization to maintain each social organization alive; secondly, a constant inspection of the public implement of all social demands transformed in law. For this, the notion of agonism developed by Chantal Mouffe is central in this article. Key words: Social movements; discourse theory; agonism; radical democracy; law.