Social Movements: Environmental Movements

Abstract

This article provides an outline of some theoretical debates on New Social Movements. From initial, rather antagonist positions between individualist and structuralist–functionalist, rationalist and antirationalist approaches the scientific discourse has moved toward concepts of rather fluid and flexible mobilization strategies, creating their own spaces of expression. New Social Movements increasingly act independently from the state as their former primary antagonist, redrawing the lines of what is considered as ‘political’ and ‘politics.’ The main characteristics of social movements within the realm of environmental politics are pointed out, addressing the issues of actors and alliances, central aims, motives, operating and organizational structures, as well as the political forms New Social Movements create as they engage with power. Converging issues of environmental decline, resource scarcity, political change especially affecting minorities by ethnicity, gender, culture or class (uneven ‘geometries of ower’) provide the grounds for usually small and informal groups to organize in struggles and forge alliances with international non governmental organisations (NGOs). Through these strategies locally embedded conflicts gain a global resonance and leading figures of the movement enter international media spaces to become influential global players.