Conceptualizing Environmental Movement Identity

• In Event: 2251 - Section on Environmental Sociology Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 13. Environmental Social Movements

Abstract

While scholars have focused on collective identity in study of social movements, personal identity theories provide a valuable tool for accurately understanding a range of social movement behavior. In this paper, I apply concepts from personal identity theories to understand accurately how individuals view their identities related to participation in the environmental movement. Using interview data collected from participants in the People’s Climate March, I discuss the contents of participants’ “environmental movement identities” and find a diversity of normative expectations that are incorporated into identity standards. The varied self-concepts found in the data indicate significant heterogeneity in how people understand their identities and participation that could impact their specific behavioral choices. The concept of environmental movement identity allows for a more accurate understanding of the broad array of environmental behaviors that constitute participation in the environmental movement, including private behaviors through which people identify as participating in movements for change.

Author

• Amanda M. Dewey, University of Maryland, College Park