The structure of environmental movements in small U.S. states and the implications for environmental policy
Date
2017
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
This research aims to improve our understanding of environmental movements that mobilize to influence state level policy in small U.S. States. Small states are defined as those found in the lowest quintile of total state populations. Small states provide an opportunity for us to evaluate whether or not state level environmental advocacy differs significantly among small, less populated states with less people from which to draw upon for resources. In particular, these states provide an opportunity for us to evaluate whether or not our broadly-utilized social movement theories and models adequately explain environmental movements, collective action, mobilization, and advocacy that occur at the scale of small U.S. States. These commonly-utilized theories primarily include Resource Mobilization Theory and Political Opportunity Theory. ☐ This study of five small, less populated states in the Northeastern United States raises questions about the extent to which resource mobilization and political opportunity structure theories are useful models for understanding the environmental movements in small states. The environmental movements in the small states exhibit considerable breadth and diversity, but vary very little from state-to-state despite variation in the state policy contexts. The study also indicates there is a dominance of traditional conservation organizations and a significant underrepresentation of environmental health and justice groups in these movements, leading to questions about who the movements represent. ☐ Groups with higher resource levels were found to differ from those with more limited resources primarily in their strategy of conducting research and disseminating technical information. The similarity of the groups indicates that the environmental movements in these states is now mature and may be better explained through institutional theory and isomorphism. ☐ The institutionalization of these movements at a time when the context for environmental policy is changing leads to questions and concerns about how the movements will respond, and their impact on environmental policy in small states.
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Keywords
Social sciences, Health and environmental sciences, Advocacy, Collective action, Environmental group, Environmental movement, Political opportunity, Resource mobilization