143
facilitated the development of scientific knowledge and skills for action, showing
the possibility of promoting young students’ engagement in collective problemsolving actions on environmental issues.
In both formal and non-formal contexts, there are several possible ways for
young people to be involved in activism in the private and public sphere, namely:
(1) education initiatives aimed at changing the behaviour of other citizens; (2) the
organisation of pressure groups responsible for writing and distributing manifestos/
petitions and boycotting certain products developed through controversial practices;
(3) volunteer initiatives promoting a more fair, ethical and sustainable world; (4) the
proposal of innovative solutions for local, national and/or global problems; and (5)
changing their own behaviours (Baptista et al. 2018; ENEC 2018; Bencze 2017;
Hodson 2014; Reis 2013).
Art-based approaches and Web 2.0 tools can be quite powerful towards the
implementation of collective activism on socio-environmental issues (Reis 2013).
The research and the discussion inherent to the development of exhibits and drama
activities on socio-environmental issues can be particularly useful, both in terms of
learning about the contents, the processes and the nature of science and technology
and in terms of the students’ cognitive, social, political, moral and ethical development (Reis and Marques 2016; Kolstø 2001). Exhibitions and drama activities about
socio-environmental issues, as a dialogical context, can raise questions, elicit personal reflection and stimulate discussions between students and visitors, transforming both of them into learners and political activists (Linhares and Reis 2017; Reis
and Marques 2016; Levinson et al. 2008; Braund and Reiss 2004). The development
of the exhibits creates an opportunity for students to participate in activism on specific environmental issues, encouraging exhibit visitors to take action (Reis and
Marques 2016).
Web 2.0 tools, especially those allowing collective communication (namely,
through social networks), can be very useful for activist initiatives (Stegmann et al.
2007), providing all citizens with powerful means to express their voices and
visions, fostering independent forms of communication/intervention and a participatory model of democracy (Marques and Reis 2017; Scheid and Reis 2016; GarcíaBermúdez et al. 2014, 2017; Krstovic 2014; Zoras and Bencze 2014). Through
these forms of activism, each student can assume the role of active problem-solver
rather than that of a spectator relying on experts to point out directions.
Web 2.0 tools can have a strong impact on citizens’ cultural/social/political
empowerment (Zoras and Bencze 2014; Kellner and Kim 2010). According to several authors, interactive means of conveying information about social and political
issues (e.g. social media) are more effective in promoting civic participation than
traditional media (Kahne et al. 2013; Segerberg and Bennett 2011; Bachen
et al. 2008).
A great example of youth activism spread by social media was triggered by the
Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. In August 2018 (when she was 15 years old), she
planned a strike at school and a protest outside the Swedish parliament, urging politicians to act on global warming in order to avoid its disastrous consequences connected with rising sea levels, extreme weather events, species loss, diminished water
9 Environmental Citizenship and Youth Activism
facilitated the development of scientific knowledge and skills for action, showing
the possibility of promoting young students’ engagement in collective problemsolving actions on environmental issues.
In both formal and non-formal contexts, there are several possible ways for
young people to be involved in activism in the private and public sphere, namely:
(1) education initiatives aimed at changing the behaviour of other citizens; (2) the
organisation of pressure groups responsible for writing and distributing manifestos/
petitions and boycotting certain products developed through controversial practices;
(3) volunteer initiatives promoting a more fair, ethical and sustainable world; (4) the
proposal of innovative solutions for local, national and/or global problems; and (5)
changing their own behaviours (Baptista et al. 2018; ENEC 2018; Bencze 2017;
Hodson 2014; Reis 2013).
Art-based approaches and Web 2.0 tools can be quite powerful towards the
implementation of collective activism on socio-environmental issues (Reis 2013).
The research and the discussion inherent to the development of exhibits and drama
activities on socio-environmental issues can be particularly useful, both in terms of
learning about the contents, the processes and the nature of science and technology
and in terms of the students’ cognitive, social, political, moral and ethical development (Reis and Marques 2016; Kolstø 2001). Exhibitions and drama activities about
socio-environmental issues, as a dialogical context, can raise questions, elicit personal reflection and stimulate discussions between students and visitors, transforming both of them into learners and political activists (Linhares and Reis 2017; Reis
and Marques 2016; Levinson et al. 2008; Braund and Reiss 2004). The development
of the exhibits creates an opportunity for students to participate in activism on specific environmental issues, encouraging exhibit visitors to take action (Reis and
Marques 2016).
Web 2.0 tools, especially those allowing collective communication (namely,
through social networks), can be very useful for activist initiatives (Stegmann et al.
2007), providing all citizens with powerful means to express their voices and
visions, fostering independent forms of communication/intervention and a participatory model of democracy (Marques and Reis 2017; Scheid and Reis 2016; GarcíaBermúdez et al. 2014, 2017; Krstovic 2014; Zoras and Bencze 2014). Through
these forms of activism, each student can assume the role of active problem-solver
rather than that of a spectator relying on experts to point out directions.
Web 2.0 tools can have a strong impact on citizens’ cultural/social/political
empowerment (Zoras and Bencze 2014; Kellner and Kim 2010). According to several authors, interactive means of conveying information about social and political
issues (e.g. social media) are more effective in promoting civic participation than
traditional media (Kahne et al. 2013; Segerberg and Bennett 2011; Bachen
et al. 2008).
A great example of youth activism spread by social media was triggered by the
Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. In August 2018 (when she was 15 years old), she
planned a strike at school and a protest outside the Swedish parliament, urging politicians to act on global warming in order to avoid its disastrous consequences connected with rising sea levels, extreme weather events, species loss, diminished water
9 Environmental Citizenship and Youth Activism