Dados is one of the most widely-read social sciences journals in Latin America. Created in 1966, it publishes innovative works, originating from academic research, by Brazilian and foreign authors. Edited by IESP-UERJ, it aims to reconcile scientific rigor and academic excellence with an emphasis on public debate based on the analysis of substantive issues of society and politics.
Dados vol. 51 n. 3 Rio de Janeiro 2008
Abstract
This article examines the conditions under which environmental activism emerged and evolved in Brazil from 1970 e 2006. The idea was to introduce a conceptual discussion on the relations between 'opportunity structures', 'political processes', and 'individual involvement' in the emergence of mobilizations and collective protests. The methodology consisted of biographical interviews with three different generations of activists, focusing on the meanings associated with the use of academic training in activism, the principal modalities of militant careers, and the types of resources and social ties that support the activists' concepts and practices. The research showed that the period under study constitutes a milestone for the emergence of new patterns for reconverting university and professional training into militant resources for action in the 'environmental field'.
Keywords: opportunity structures, political processes, individual involvement, activism, environmentalism
DOI: 10.1590/S0011-52582008000300007
The birth and redefinitions of environmental activism in Brazil
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