Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change
In this manuscript, we introduce a theoretical model of climate radicalization that integrates social psychological theories of perceived unfairness with historical insights on radicalization to contribute to the knowledge of individuals’ processes of radicalization and non-radicalization in relatio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.778894/full |
| _version_ | 1811253511814381568 |
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| author | Amarins Jansma Kees van den Bos Kees van den Bos Beatrice A. de Graaf |
| author_facet | Amarins Jansma Kees van den Bos Kees van den Bos Beatrice A. de Graaf |
| author_sort | Amarins Jansma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this manuscript, we introduce a theoretical model of climate radicalization that integrates social psychological theories of perceived unfairness with historical insights on radicalization to contribute to the knowledge of individuals’ processes of radicalization and non-radicalization in relation to climate change. We define climate radicalization as a process of growing willingness to pursue and/or support radical changes in society that are in conflict with or could pose a threat to the status quo or democratic legal order to reach climate goals. We describe how perceptions of unfairness can play a pivotal role in processes of climate change related radicalization. Without taking any position or judgment regarding climate concerns and associated actions, we suggest that although these behaviors drive many people to participate in peaceful climate protest, they may also lead others to radicalize into breaking the law to achieve their climate goals, possibly in violent ways. This process of climate radicalization, we argue, can be driven by people perceiving certain situations to be blatantly unfair. Specifically, we discuss how radical attitudes and behaviors can be products of perceived unfairness stemming from the past, the future, the immediate social environments of perceivers, as well as those that are spatially distant from them. We further argue that because radicalization processes are shaped by an interaction between individuals and movements, on the one hand, and societal actors and developments, on the other, they tend to develop in non-linear and dynamic ways. We therefore propose that climate radicalization is a (1) dynamic, contingent, and non-linear process, often of an escalating (and sometimes de-escalating) kind, (2) that develops over time, (3) through various interactions between individuals and their contexts, and (4) in which people and groups move back and forth from peaceful protest, through disobedient and unlawful methods, to violent actions. Implications, strengths, and limitations of our model are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:52:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c7f7907d23154480a2fafcdd3660cc97 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:52:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c7f7907d23154480a2fafcdd3660cc972022-12-22T03:24:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-05-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.778894778894Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate ChangeAmarins Jansma0Kees van den Bos1Kees van den Bos2Beatrice A. de Graaf3Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NetherlandsSchool of Law, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NetherlandsDepartment for History and Art History, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NetherlandsIn this manuscript, we introduce a theoretical model of climate radicalization that integrates social psychological theories of perceived unfairness with historical insights on radicalization to contribute to the knowledge of individuals’ processes of radicalization and non-radicalization in relation to climate change. We define climate radicalization as a process of growing willingness to pursue and/or support radical changes in society that are in conflict with or could pose a threat to the status quo or democratic legal order to reach climate goals. We describe how perceptions of unfairness can play a pivotal role in processes of climate change related radicalization. Without taking any position or judgment regarding climate concerns and associated actions, we suggest that although these behaviors drive many people to participate in peaceful climate protest, they may also lead others to radicalize into breaking the law to achieve their climate goals, possibly in violent ways. This process of climate radicalization, we argue, can be driven by people perceiving certain situations to be blatantly unfair. Specifically, we discuss how radical attitudes and behaviors can be products of perceived unfairness stemming from the past, the future, the immediate social environments of perceivers, as well as those that are spatially distant from them. We further argue that because radicalization processes are shaped by an interaction between individuals and movements, on the one hand, and societal actors and developments, on the other, they tend to develop in non-linear and dynamic ways. We therefore propose that climate radicalization is a (1) dynamic, contingent, and non-linear process, often of an escalating (and sometimes de-escalating) kind, (2) that develops over time, (3) through various interactions between individuals and their contexts, and (4) in which people and groups move back and forth from peaceful protest, through disobedient and unlawful methods, to violent actions. Implications, strengths, and limitations of our model are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.778894/fullradicalization processesunfairnessclimate protestsocial psychologyhistorycontexts |
| spellingShingle | Amarins Jansma Kees van den Bos Kees van den Bos Beatrice A. de Graaf Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change Frontiers in Psychology radicalization processes unfairness climate protest social psychology history contexts |
| title | Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change |
| title_full | Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change |
| title_fullStr | Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change |
| title_short | Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change |
| title_sort | unfairness in society and over time understanding possible radicalization of people protesting on matters of climate change |
| topic | radicalization processes unfairness climate protest social psychology history contexts |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.778894/full |
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