“Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies
In this comparative study, we explore why environmental movements against two neoliberal water transfer projects emerged and how they work in different political economies—a hegemonic capitalist democracy (Colorado, US) and a centralized authoritarian capitalist system (Iran). We apply Polanyi’s and...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/3/161 |
| _version_ | 1797609020488417280 |
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| author | Elham Hoominfar Claudia Radel |
| author_facet | Elham Hoominfar Claudia Radel |
| author_sort | Elham Hoominfar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this comparative study, we explore why environmental movements against two neoliberal water transfer projects emerged and how they work in different political economies—a hegemonic capitalist democracy (Colorado, US) and a centralized authoritarian capitalist system (Iran). We apply Polanyi’s and Gramsci’s political–economic theories, using interviews and document analysis to examine and compare movement framing and mobilization and resistance strategies and tactics through this lens. The existing social movement literature leads us to expect fundamental differences, but although we find some differences, particularly in tactics, we find that these environmental movements have unexpected similarities in terms of framing and resistance strategies. Additionally, in both cases, outcomes remain uncertain despite the ostensibly large differences in political opportunities. In Colorado, project developers and social protesters may reach a compromise agreement through the civil society channel of the courts. In Iran, with a centralized state suppressing opponents whereas the project threatens local people’s livelihoods, the environmental movement has assumed a more radical face. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:54:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3c42fa75374452ba10ac86d01fb2867 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:54:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3c42fa75374452ba10ac86d01fb28672023-11-17T13:52:12ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602023-03-0112316110.3390/socsci12030161“Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political EconomiesElham Hoominfar0Claudia Radel1Program in Global Health Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USADepartment of Environment and Society, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5215, USAIn this comparative study, we explore why environmental movements against two neoliberal water transfer projects emerged and how they work in different political economies—a hegemonic capitalist democracy (Colorado, US) and a centralized authoritarian capitalist system (Iran). We apply Polanyi’s and Gramsci’s political–economic theories, using interviews and document analysis to examine and compare movement framing and mobilization and resistance strategies and tactics through this lens. The existing social movement literature leads us to expect fundamental differences, but although we find some differences, particularly in tactics, we find that these environmental movements have unexpected similarities in terms of framing and resistance strategies. Additionally, in both cases, outcomes remain uncertain despite the ostensibly large differences in political opportunities. In Colorado, project developers and social protesters may reach a compromise agreement through the civil society channel of the courts. In Iran, with a centralized state suppressing opponents whereas the project threatens local people’s livelihoods, the environmental movement has assumed a more radical face.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/3/161environmental counter-movements (ECM)political economyPolanyiGramscineoliberalism |
| spellingShingle | Elham Hoominfar Claudia Radel “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies Social Sciences environmental counter-movements (ECM) political economy Polanyi Gramsci neoliberalism |
| title | “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies |
| title_full | “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies |
| title_fullStr | “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies |
| title_short | “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Want a Dam” in the US or in Iran: Environmental Movements and Shared Strategies in Differing Political Economies |
| title_sort | frankly my dear i don t want a dam in the us or in iran environmental movements and shared strategies in differing political economies |
| topic | environmental counter-movements (ECM) political economy Polanyi Gramsci neoliberalism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/3/161 |
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