Results of Ecologic Movements
Abstracts (english)
Dieter
Rucht
Effects of environmental movement: About the difficulties of a balance
FJNSB ,pp. 15-27
Dieter Rucht deals with effects and success of environmental
movements, which are hardly to investigate with empirical methods. On
one hand it is undoubtful that ecological consciousness of the population
rose significantly, on the level of attitudes as well as in the mass
media discourse. Even the number of activists and sympathizers of the
environmental movement is considerably large. On the other hand, the
ecological behaviour of the population falls behind this development.
Moreover, no relevant change of the destruction of natural environment
took place. In this context Rucht tries to develop an investigation
procedure to find precise statements about the balance of effects of
the environmental movements in different countries.
Christian
Lahusen
'Interest group politics'? A cross-national comparision of different
countries concerning associational work of social movements organizations
FJNSB, pp. 28-38
One central aspect of transformation of the environmetal movement
is the institutionalization and professionalization of movement organizations.
Christian Lahusen defines institutionalization as the organizational
establishment in the political field, while professionalization means
the special qualification of the organization's members. This development
can be interpreted as a trend to build up its own movement institutions
and patterns of participation or as an adaption to the predominant patterns
of organization and action in different political systems. In his international
study (Germany, France, Great Britain, and USA), Lahusen analyzes how
far institutionalization and professionalization of environmental associations
affects their strategic alignment. The result of his study suggests
that the development supports the adaption-hypothesis.
Christian
Krüger
Greenpeace - Policy of symbolical confrontation
FJNSB, pp. 39-47
In the perspective of an insider, Christian Krüger is dealing
with the policy of protest of Greenpeace. Greenpeace concentrates on
symbolical confrontation. The center of planning is determined by action,
which tries to call the attention to environmental problems in a spectacular
and shocking way. Greenpeace's objection is to reach and influence the
mass media to force changes in politics and economy. In the Brent Spar-campaigne
the question araised whether Greenpeace's activism is still adequate.
In the context of organizational continuity or transformation the answer
is: Greenpeace won its unique and successful image first of all by its
activism. Nevertheless, it is not to ignore that action and confrontation
as deeds of heroic despair are substituted by cooperation and lobbying
as modern strategical alternatives.
Willy
Viehöver
Moralic economy of environmental movement in post-war Japan
FJNSB, pp. 48-56
In his contribution, Willy Viehöver is looking at the environmental
protest in post-war Japan. Its beginning can be found in big environmental
scandals. These scandals meant an enormous risk for the population's
health, like "Yokkaichi asthma", "Minamata disease",
and "Toyama itai-itai disease". In this context it is stated
that to legitimate protest in Japan, a big number of people has to be
affected by the basic problem. Otherwise protest events don't take place.
When protest occurs, the events are almost violent. Another characteristic
is that the persons responsible for the basic problem (damages of health)
have to apologize themselves in public. It is relevant, that the cultural
codex is respected, not the financial compensation. During the development
of Japan's protest culture, the actors learned not only to use violence
but also to apply to legal means in order to reach their aims.
Margit
Leuthold
Intermediate organizations in the context of the political - 10 years
environmental counseling in Austria
FJNSB, pp. 57-65
Margit Leuthold reports on environmental assessment/ consultation
in Austria. Because of the long years resistance against the nuclear
power plant in Zwentendorf and the accident in Tschernobyl 1986, political
parties initialized a project which was a reaction not only to the ecological
problems but to the threatening situation on the employment market,
also. In the beginning, five austrian women and men started with enthusiasm
to advice households and enterprises in environmental questions. In
the meantime, the qualification and stategical orientation on the political
opportunity structures increased significantly, and environmental assessment
in austria seems to be able to survive the fight/ contest concerning
the distribution of public and private funds.
Gabriela
B. Christmann
Temporal shifts in ecological mores
FJNSB, pp. 66-75
In her contribution, Gabriela B. Christmann tries to examine
the ecological moral, comparing Rousseaus' novel "Julie or The
new Héloďse", in which central categories of the modern ecological
moral were developed, with her own empirical findings on moral discourses
of the current ecology movement. The central categories of ecological
moral are - following Christmann - the idea of a threatening apocalypse,
which can be attributed to prodigality of humans. The solution for this
problem is found in renunciation of luxurious life, therefore in an
ascetic lifestyle and a holistic perspective on ecological connex between
society and nature. The actual strategy for problem solution is the
recruitment of proselyts, that is the conversion of 'infidels' to lead
them the right way in order to save the world.
Richard
Saage
Utopia and environment - The ecology problem in the focus of utopian
anticipation
FJNSB, pp. 10-14
In his essay, Richard Saage deals with the question, whether
there is need for utopian concepts in our time. After the decline of
the socialistic systems, the principle 'reality' replaced the principle
'utopia'. In the contrary, Saage states that the disappearance of utopian
thinking is valid only for utopian concepts which are 'closed' and not
able to learn and develop. Because of the structural problems of modern
societies - from which the ecological problem is one of the worst -
one has to expect that utopian thinking will be of great importance
for the future also.
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