Drawing on interviews with UK direct-action climate activists, the authors explore how activists manage the powerful feelings aroused by confronting the disturbing truth of climate change, identifying unhelpful binaries ('all or nothing', 'now or never') that can lead to despair, and describing a more emotionally-intelligent culture of proportionate engagement, self-care and reflection emerging among a newer generation of activists.
Sustainable Activism: Managing Hope and Despair in Social Movements
2016
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Drawing on interviews with UK direct-action climate activists, the authors explore how activists manage the powerful feelings aroused by confronting the disturbing truth of climate change, identifying unhelpful binaries ('all or nothing', 'now or never') that can lead to despair, and describing a more emotionally-intelligent culture of proportionate engagement, self-care and reflection emerging among a newer generation of activists.
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