IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v11y2021i2p36-d539485.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Transactional Horizons of Greta Thunberg

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Stoecklin

    (Centre for Children’s Rights Studies, University of Geneva (Valais Campus), 1967 Bramois, Switzerland)

Abstract

The paper aims at developing new understandings of agency, or capacity to make a difference, which is a central issue in childhood studies. Sixteen speeches delivered by climate activist Greta Thunberg between 2018 and 2019 are analyzed. The findings reveal 5 core reflexive operations (objectification, personification, sanctification, unification and diversification) underpinning the speeches. This is conducive to the hypothesis that Greta’s audience and the replications of demonstrations for climate justice are bound to 5 transactional horizons (activities, relations, values, images of self and motivations) identified as the symbolic landscapes channeling the social interactions in climate activism. Transactional horizons form a structure of intelligible categories linked to sensatory experience. These vectors of agency twist perceptual consciousness into a hierarchized reflective consciousness. The dominant perspective of agency within structure is challenged by this emerging paradigm of agency through structure, whereby the two terms are seen as fluid and sedimented states. Future directions are identified for interdisciplinary research, contributing to heightened awareness of recursive processes that may impact climate policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Stoecklin, 2021. "The Transactional Horizons of Greta Thunberg," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:36-:d:539485
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/11/2/36/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/11/2/36/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heejin Han & Sang Wuk Ahn, 2020. "Youth Mobilization to Stop Global Climate Change: Narratives and Impact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Olivier Boiral & Marie‐Christine Brotherton & Léo Rivaud & David Talbot, 2022. "Comparing the uncomparable? An investigation of car manufacturers' climate performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2213-2229, July.
    2. Samar Ben Romdhane & Sang Lee & Salem Al-Shaebi, 2023. "Enhancing Sustainability Communication among UAE’s Higher Education Students: The Relationship between Sustainable Living Knowledge and Intention to Live Sustainably," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Elisabeth Eide & Risto Kunelius, 2021. "Voices of a generation the communicative power of youth activism," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Gabriele Prati & Iana Tzankova & Cinzia Albanesi & Elvira Cicognani, 2022. "Longitudinal Predictors of Perceived Climate Change Importance and Worry among Italian Youths: A Machine Learning Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Harriet Thew & Lucie Middlemiss & Jouni Paavola, 2022. "“You Need a Month’s Holiday Just to Get over It!” Exploring Young People’s Lived Experiences of the UN Climate Change Negotiations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Linnea A. Evans & Omar Gomez & Dulce J. Jiménez & Heather J. Williamson & Ann Turnlund Carver & Sairam Parthasarathy & Samantha Sabo, 2023. "Engaging Youth and Young Adults in the COVID-19 Pandemic Response via the “It’s Our Turn” Crowdsourcing Contest," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-14, March.
    7. Cato Waeterloos & Peter Conradie & Michel Walrave & Koen Ponnet, 2021. "Digital Issue Movements: Political Repertoires and Drivers of Participation among Belgian Youth in the Context of ‘School Strike for Climate’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-19, September.
    8. Maria Giuseppina Bartolo & Rocco Servidio & Anna Lisa Palermiti & Maria Rosaria Nappa & Angela Costabile, 2023. "Pro-Environmental Behaviors and Well-Being in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Place Attachment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-12, May.
    9. Nisbett, Nicole & Spaiser, Viktoria, 2022. "The Moral Power of Youth Climate Activists - Transforming International Climate Politics?," SocArXiv 5zsra, Center for Open Science.
    10. Sharma, Reema Bera & Majumdar, Bandhan Bandhu & Maitra, Bhargab, 2024. "Commuter and non-commuter preferences for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: A case study of Delhi and Kolkata, India," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    11. Sonia Martins Felix & Annette Lykknes & Ragnhild Lyngved Staberg, 2022. "Identifying the ‘Different we’s’ in Primary Teachers’ Education for Sustainable Development Discourse—A Positioning Theory Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.
    12. Radtke, Jörg & Ohlhorst, Dörte, 2021. "Community Energy in Germany – Bowling Alone in Elite Clubs?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Jialing Huang & Janet Z. Yang & Haoran Chu, 2022. "Framing Climate Change Impacts as Moral Violations: The Pathway of Perceived Message Credibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-19, April.
    14. Saveria Olga Murielle Boulanger & Martina Massari, 2022. "Advocating Urban Transition: A Qualitative Review of Institutional and Grassroots Initiatives in Shaping Climate-Aware Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, February.
    15. Adrian Brügger & Moritz Gubler & Katharine Steentjes & Stuart B. Capstick, 2020. "Social Identity and Risk Perception Explain Participation in the Swiss Youth Climate Strikes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-17, December.
    16. Carlie D. Trott, 2021. "Youth-Led Climate Change Action: Multi-Level Effects on Children, Families, and Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-20, November.
    17. Radu Șimandan & Cristian Valeriu Păun & Bogdan Glăvan, 2023. "Post-Pandemic Greenness? How Central Banks Use Narratives to Become Green," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-28, January.
    18. Franco Salerno, 2023. "The Greta Thunberg Effect on Climate Equity: A Worldwide Google Trend Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-13, April.
    19. Saidatul Maisarah Faiesall & Sarah Hanani Ahmad Tajuddin & Andrew Jason George & Nur Hazirah Marzuki & Oliver Lacey-Hall & Jemilah Mahmood & Gopalasamy Reuben Clements & Renzo Guinto, 2023. "Mobilising the Next Generation of Planetary Health Leaders: The Dynamism of Youth Engagement in Malaysia," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, March.
    20. Ali, Amjad & Esposito, Luca & Gatto, Andrea, 2023. "Energy transition and public behavior in Italy: A structural equation modeling," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:36-:d:539485. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.