‘A proper environmentalist wouldn’t do that’: discourses of alienation from the environmental periphery

ABSTRACT

This article discusses the mode of environmentalism practiced by those not commonly included in studies of environmentalism. Key weaknesses in environmental identity literatures are identified: the unacknowledged discrepancy between the conceptualisations of researchers and their research participants; the overwhelming abstractness of current conceptualisations; and the occlusion of those environmental actors not covered by movement organisations or designated as activists. A novel approach is outlined, whereby environmentalism is perceived as an example of implicit religion. A thorough discussion of the study sampling is included to demonstrate the applicability of this approach. Following a critical analysis of the discourses of environmental alienation accessed by interviewees, this article outlines the likely negative impact on global environmentalism which may result. The conceptualisation of ‘practical stewardship’ is offered to encompass a more inclusive notion of environmentalism.

KEYWORDS:

• Identity
• social movement
• environmentalism
• implicit religion

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the constructive input of Drs Anna Krzywoszynska, Stevianna de Saille, Hannah Griffin-James and Thoko Kamwende for their input on an earlier draft of this paper. My thanks also go to the editor and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful and constructive criticisms.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ESRC under Grant Economic and Social Research Council ES/J500215/1 while the author was affiliated with the University of Sheffield. Ethical approval for the research was granted by a University of Sheffield ethics committee under application no. 001873.