Due to the prevailing scientific consensus on the impact of human activities on climate and nature, more and more attention is being paid to understanding the role that society plays in both creating and solving the climate and ecological crisis. More and more research in the social sciences is beginning to focus on the concept of “Anthropocene” and attempts to diagnose one of the greatest challenges of today. Given the impasse in international negotiations at climate summits and the lack of effective action on a global scale, more and more actors at lower levels are getting involved in attempts to counteract the ongoing environmental degradation and climate change. Nowadays, we are observing a new wave of social mobilization, which some sociologists compare to that of the 1960s and 1970s, which contributed to numerous social and political changes (e.g. Bosi, Giugni, Uba 2016; Della Porta, D. , & Diani, M. 2015). Social movements play a key role in many dimensions, including: in the dimension of knowledge creation and redefinition of public discourse. Many concepts used in the social sciences today were created at the intersection of activism and science. The research project will include an analysis of selected social movements, grass-roots initiatives, activities of local communities and will focus on the exploration of discourses, practices and attitudes, as well as attempts to understand the impact of the socio-political context on the ability of activists to influence changes in society. We understand climate and ecological movements as a set of heterogeneous actors, including groups with different ideological orientations, as well as religious actors. The effect of this diversity is also the multitude of perspectives on the sources of the ecological crisis, as well as on possible solutions. As part of the project, we will critically analyze the literature on the subject and conduct qualitative research on selected pro-ecological initiatives and discourses.

The research goal of the project is to analyze the contemporary global climate and ecological crisis and to seek solutions from various actors in civil society.

Team members: dr hab. Rafał Prostak, prof. UEK (Associate Professor), dr Karol Kaczorowski (Assistant Professor)