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Voices of a generation the communicative power of youth activism

Author

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  • Elisabeth Eide

    (Department of Journalism and Communication Studies at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University)

  • Risto Kunelius

    (University of Helsinki)

Abstract

Drawing from interviews with 31 young leading climate activists from 23 countries across the world this article aims to capture the contribution of the recent youth climate movement to communicating climate science and politics. We show that from the point of view of the youth activists, the movement powerfully connects personal and local experiences and emotions with climate science. This has enabled the activists to construct an authentic, generational and temporal identity that has helped them to carve out an autonomous position and voice with considerable moral authority among existing climate policy actors. Claiming to represent the future generation, we conclude that activists have offered an important added value to climate science as new ambassadors for scientific consensus and climate mitigation. The youth movement and the added value it brings communicating climate science is an example of the dynamics of the formation of “relational publics” and emphasizes the need to understand better the networked communication landscape where climate politics is debated.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:169:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-021-03211-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03211-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Romina Rodela & Filip Roumeliotis, 2024. "Young people as a political subject in the context of environmental governance," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Angela Maria D’Uggento & Alfonso Piscitelli & Nunziata Ribecco & Germana Scepi, 2023. "Perceived climate change risk and global green activism among young people," Statistical Methods & Applications, Springer;Società Italiana di Statistica, vol. 32(4), pages 1167-1195, October.
    3. Clara Privato & Matthew P. Johnson & Timo Busch, 2024. "Raising the bar: What determines the ambition level of corporate climate targets?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(9), pages 1-24, September.
    4. Giulia Gasparri & Yassen Tcholakov & Sophie Gepp & Asia Guerreschi & Damilola Ayowole & Élitz-Doris Okwudili & Euphemia Uwandu & Rodrigo Sanchez Iturregui & Saad Amer & Simon Beaudoin & Mayumi Sato, 2022. "Integrating Youth Perspectives: Adopting a Human Rights and Public Health Approach to Climate Action," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-12, April.
    5. Friederike E. L. Otto & Petra Minnerop & Emmanuel Raju & Luke J. Harrington & Rupert F. Stuart‐Smith & Emily Boyd & Rachel James & Richard Jones & Kristian C. Lauta, 2022. "Causality and the fate of climate litigation: The role of the social superstructure narrative," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(5), pages 736-750, November.

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