Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T15:29:09.852Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Reconciling Environmentalism and the Left: Perspectives on Democracy and Social Justice in British Columbia's Environmental Movement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2002

Debra J. Salazar
Affiliation:
Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
Donald K. Alper
Affiliation:
Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Extract

The article examines how political ideas of environmentalists support as well as impede relations between the environmental movement and other progressive movements. This requires examination of the role and meaning of social justice and democracy in the discourse of environmentalism. This study focuses such an examination on a sample of environmental activists in British Columbia. Q methodology is used to discern patterns of association between particular sets of environmental ideas, and beliefs and values related to democracy and social justice. The authors identify four environmental/political perspectives: alienated ecocentrism, civic communitarianism, insider preservationism and green egalitarianism. These perspectives share a perception of justice focused on fair democratic procedures. Fairness is linked to inclusion and equal treatment.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Canadian Political Science Association (l'Association canadienne de science politique) and/et la Société québécoise de science politique

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)