Save

“We Are Radical In Our Kindness”: The Political Socialisation, Motivations, Demands and Protest Actions of Young Environmental Activists in Britain

In: Youth and Globalization
Authors:
Sarah Pickard Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Institut du Monde Anglophone, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France, sarah.pickard@sorbonne-nouvelle.fr

Search for other papers by Sarah Pickard in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Benjamin Bowman Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, England, UK, B.Bowman@mmu.ac.uk

Search for other papers by Benjamin Bowman in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Dena Arya PhD Candidate, School of Politics and International Relations, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England, UK, dena.arya2019@my.ntu.ac.uk

Search for other papers by Dena Arya in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Download Citation Get Permissions

Access options

Get access to the full article by using one of the access options below.

Institutional Login

Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials

Login via Institution

Purchase

Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

$34.95

Abstract

The year 2018 was a watershed in environmental activism, especially regarding young activists. Greta Thunberg started her School Strikes for Climate and the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion was founded. This article deals with young people’s involvement in these two global movements. It draws on 60 semi-structured interviews carried out with young environmental activists before, during and after protest actions under the auspices of the climate strikes and/or Extinction Rebellion in five British locations.

The period of the political socialisation of this young generation is outlined and how it contributes to young people becoming environmental activists. The article then identifies the “radical” demands made by young environmental activists and their “radical” repertoire of contention in relation to their perceptions of the “radical” compared to hegemonic definitions.

The interviews show that these young environmentalists are part of a generation of activists committed to obtaining significant change from powerholders through the use of deliberately non-violent direct action that challenges academic perceptions of radical repertoires of contention.

Content Metrics

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 4994 1632 123
Full Text Views 551 225 16
PDF Views & Downloads 1001 391 31