Eric Allen Hanley

Political & Economic Sociology, Globalization, Social Stratification, Sociology of Organizations

Has globalization enhanced the capacity of environmental movements (local, national, transnational) to limit environmental degradation worldwide?

Population growth, economic development, and rising standards of living remain major sources of environmental degradation in developed and developing countries alike.  One by-product of global economic development, however, has been the creation of systems of communication which, in turn, have opened up possibilities for transnational collective action. One of the themes of my work is an examination of the new kinds of resources which globalization has made available to individuals and groups to mount collective challenges. These resources include transnational advocacy networks, international institutions, and international norms which, taken together, have provided local and national environmental movements with new opportunities to have their voices heard.  But external sources of support and networking may have negative implications as well. By involving more moderate elements, for example, transnational advocacy networks may weaken the ability of more radical environmental activists to mobilize their bases of support at the local level. By examining the linkages between local environmental movements on the one hand and transnational advocacy networks and international institutions on the other, we can determine the extent to which globalization increases environmental movements’ power.