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C. Ledderucci
production models that the current economic system reproduce, such as the centreperiphery relation at the core of colonialism and capitalism. As shown below, a good
example comes from the international organization 350.org.
350.org
350.org is an international environmental movement founded in 2008 in the United
States. Today its network extends across 188 countries. Among the numerous initiatives organized by the movement, the ‘global days of action’ lie at the core of the
activists’ campaign, consisting of protests linking individuals and organizations all
over the world. Other fundamental actions are worldwide campaigns to promote
awareness about climate change among people and sit-ins to block energy and industrial projects which use fossil fuels and are therefore a source of carbon pollution. The
association aims to organize bottom-up protests and actions on a local scale, working
with grassroots movements and communities which can influence the power and
the decision-making processes of the fossil fuel industry. The importance given to
transnational networks of grassroots organizations highlights the emergence of new
local social forms that, as demonstrated by 350.org, present themselves as informal
networks, founded by ‘friends’ (persons with shared values and aspirations) wishing
to spread the environmental message and save the planet. Arguably, this kind of
movement could be identified as a green ecologist imagined community,
2 that is a
solidarity group whose members share the same values and ideas (Gamson 2004).
The style of the narrative employed by this organization highlights the focal points
of their campaigns and the ways these are conducted. The emphasis here is put on
the concept of environmental justice: a safe climate and a better future can and must
be claimed by ordinary people. This discourse assumes even more importance when
confronted with the perception of ‘environment’ and the idea of nature. These ideas
are culturally and historically determined; they vary from place to place, differing
from the universal definition proposed by 350.org. Although some of the statements
on their website are vague and idealistic, for example: “help 350.org build a powerful
climate movement. We believe in a safe climate and a better future - a just, prosperous,
and equitable world built with the power of ordinary people. Help us get there!”, they
touch on ideas and themes regarding the environment that are recognized worldwide.
Nonetheless, as shown below, activists from indigenous worlds in Oceania (and
elsewhere) have appropriated this universal discourse, making it ‘local’ through the
process of indigenization (Appadurai 1996).
2 As defined by Anderson (1983, p. 49) referring to the nation-state, “[A community] is imagined
because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow-members,
meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion.”
C. Ledderucci
production models that the current economic system reproduce, such as the centreperiphery relation at the core of colonialism and capitalism. As shown below, a good
example comes from the international organization 350.org.
350.org
350.org is an international environmental movement founded in 2008 in the United
States. Today its network extends across 188 countries. Among the numerous initiatives organized by the movement, the ‘global days of action’ lie at the core of the
activists’ campaign, consisting of protests linking individuals and organizations all
over the world. Other fundamental actions are worldwide campaigns to promote
awareness about climate change among people and sit-ins to block energy and industrial projects which use fossil fuels and are therefore a source of carbon pollution. The
association aims to organize bottom-up protests and actions on a local scale, working
with grassroots movements and communities which can influence the power and
the decision-making processes of the fossil fuel industry. The importance given to
transnational networks of grassroots organizations highlights the emergence of new
local social forms that, as demonstrated by 350.org, present themselves as informal
networks, founded by ‘friends’ (persons with shared values and aspirations) wishing
to spread the environmental message and save the planet. Arguably, this kind of
movement could be identified as a green ecologist imagined community,
2 that is a
solidarity group whose members share the same values and ideas (Gamson 2004).
The style of the narrative employed by this organization highlights the focal points
of their campaigns and the ways these are conducted. The emphasis here is put on
the concept of environmental justice: a safe climate and a better future can and must
be claimed by ordinary people. This discourse assumes even more importance when
confronted with the perception of ‘environment’ and the idea of nature. These ideas
are culturally and historically determined; they vary from place to place, differing
from the universal definition proposed by 350.org. Although some of the statements
on their website are vague and idealistic, for example: “help 350.org build a powerful
climate movement. We believe in a safe climate and a better future - a just, prosperous,
and equitable world built with the power of ordinary people. Help us get there!”, they
touch on ideas and themes regarding the environment that are recognized worldwide.
Nonetheless, as shown below, activists from indigenous worlds in Oceania (and
elsewhere) have appropriated this universal discourse, making it ‘local’ through the
process of indigenization (Appadurai 1996).
2 As defined by Anderson (1983, p. 49) referring to the nation-state, “[A community] is imagined
because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow-members,
meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion.”