Climate Change and Civic Engagement by Paul Almeida - Paper

About the Book

The most recent scientific reporting suggests that the outlook for continued global warming is dire. Collective action and civic engagement by ordinary people around the world will prove decisive in slowing down global warming and supporting planetary survival. Climate Change and Civic Engagement demonstrates the origins, gains, and future trajectory of the climate movement. In analyzing collective action events around the world and exploring how the movement navigates the competing paradigms of climate denialism, decarbonization, and just transitions, this book includes:

Data collected from thousands of climate engagements and events.
The most recent tools from social movement scholarship, such as GIS mapping, representative surveys from frontline communities, and theories of expanding climate civic engagement along just transition pathways.
An exploration of the links between climate justice and environmental justice.
Creative tactics for sustaining collective climate action in the face of climate denialism and technocratic solutions.

This book shows readers the indispensability of social movement knowledge in forging effective climate justice movements.

Reviews

"This book offers an opportunity to reflect on the diverse and divergent political and policy strategies that have been used over the last few decades to address our warming climate. As we search for hope in these dark days of federal denialism, Paul Almeida provides us with the tools to seek the audacious objective of not only addressing global climate challenges, but also improving the quality of life of those most impacted."—Martha Guzman Aceves, former US EPA Regional Administrator, Region 9 (Pacific Southwest)

"An uplifting treatment of the most epic battle of our time—the fight for decarbonization and a just transition in an era of climate denialism and rising authoritarianism. Almeida combines riveting case studies of civic engagement and public policy successes with original empirical data to produce a compelling story that has never been told and must be heard."—David N. Pellow, Distinguished Professor and Dehlsen Chair of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

"Almeida is one of the deepest thinkers in the global climate action space, theoretically and empirically. This book effectively presents the complex dynamics of the battle between climate denial, decarbonization, and just transitions at multiple levels of social and political life, moving with ease between scientific concepts and the dynamics of civic engagement and social movements in the struggle for planetary survival. A fascinating read for professional and nonprofessional readers alike, this book will be consulted for many years to come."—Joyashree Roy, Distinguished Professor, Asian Institute of Technology

"This insightful and fascinating book maps the real achievements of climate and social justice movements in recent decades and at all levels, from global to local. Almeida also documents how these movements faced a matching surge of opposition and obstruction, capturing both the urgency and the difficulty of truly just climate civic action."—Kathryn Hochstetler, Professor of International Development, London School of Economics and Political Science

"Incorporating insights from environmental sociology and social movement theory, Almeida addresses the critical question of how to build a climate movement that can influence public policy and industrial practices. This accessibly written book fills an important need for student-centered texts on climate change, offering both a sober diagnosis of the urgency of the climate crisis and pathways to a more hopeful future."—Suzanne Staggenborg, Professor of Sociology, University of Pittsburgh

"The leading social movements expert in America turns his attention to ecological justice in this tactically sophisticated analysis of the biggest question of our time."—Samuel Cohn, Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

"Focusing on one of the most critical issues that the world will have to address, this book lucidly recounts the gains made by climate and environmental justice movements and outlines the possible paths forward for our society: progress or denialism. A significant advance in the study of social activism, this book will appeal to students, scholars, activists, legislators, and NGOs."—Victoria Carty, Professor of Sociology, Chapman University

"Climate Change and Civic Engagement provides historical and ongoing contexts to climate action in a readable format, demonstrating that climate action works through multiple levels, actors, and responses. Almeida uses empirical work to show the ways civic engagement can lead to a sustainable and equitable climate future."—Camila Alvarez, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of California, San Diego

About the Book

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Reviews