Environmental Justice as Movement and Strategy: Non-Profits, Advocacy, and the Contested Boundaries of Social Change

• In Event: 50417 - Environmental Movements and Counter Movements

Abstract

Environmental justice (EJ) has historically emerged from grassroots struggles against environmental racism (Bullard 2019; Davis 2021; Pellow 2002; Pulido 2016), yet in recent years, a growing number of non-profits—many of which did not initially identify, either fully or partially, as environmental organizations—have integrated EJ framing into their work. This paper examines how non-profits in Seattle, Washington have strategically repositioned their mission statements and advocacy materials to align with EJ, particularly in domains such as housing justice, labor rights, and racial justice. Rather than a simple strategic adaptation, the growing adoption of environmental justice discourse by non-profits reflects a broader struggle over the definition and scope of environmental governance. This study examines how non-profits integrate EJ not just as a rhetorical shift but as a means of reframing long-standing social justice concerns—such as housing, labor, and racial equity—as core environmental issues.

Drawing on an archival analysis of non-profit websites and interviews with organizational actors, this study traces how struggles for environmental justice emerge as a generative site for coalition-building, funding acquisition, and strategic advocacy. By analyzing the discursive shifts in mission statements, policy reports, and organizational collaborations, I explore how non-profits navigate the intersection of environmental and social justice claims, shaping the broader terrain of what becomes constituted as an “environmental issue.” This research contributes to critical environmental justice scholarship by examining how movements evolve through their interactions with institutional actors, showing that non-profits are not simply adopting environmental rhetoric but are actively redefining the scope and contours of environmental justice itself.

Author

• Monika Pareek, Florida State University