Skip to main content

Engaging with Climate Change: Comparing the Cultures of Science and Activism

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Climate Psychology

Part of the book series: Studies in the Psychosocial ((STIP))

Abstract

This chapter reports on interviews with climate scientists and activists, two groups who face the disturbing reality of climate change on a regular basis. The contrasting cultures of science and activism, one institutional and the other informal, had considerable influence over the way in which they dealt with the emotional and ethical challenges of their work. Evidence suggested scientists resorted to social defences such as hyper-rationality, whereas activists adopted a more reflexive and literate approach. This had some dysfunctional consequences for scientists, encouraging abstraction, caution and isolation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 24.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Bibliography

  • Armstrong, D., & Rustin, M. (2015). Social defences against anxiety: Explorations in a paradigm. London: Karnac.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brockbank, A., & McGill, I. (2004). The action learning handbook. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capstick, S. B., Demski, C. C., Sposato, R. G., Pidgeon, N. F., Spence, A., & Corner, A. (2015). Public perceptions of climate change in Britain following the winter 2013/2014 flooding (Understanding Risk Research Group Working Paper 15–01). Cardiff: Cardiff University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, C. (2015). Denial and despair? Environmental Values, 24(5), 577–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, S., & Hoggett, P. (2009). Researching beneath the surface. London: Karnac.

    Google Scholar 

  • Head, L. (2016). Hope and grief in the Anthropocene. London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. (1979). Emotion work, feeling rules, and social structure. American Journal of Sociology, 85(3), 551–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialisation of human feeling. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hollway, W., & Jefferson, T. (2013). Doing qualitative research differently. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kearns, F. (2014). Scientists have feelings too. read.hipporeads.com/scientists-have-feelings-too. Accessed 16 Mar 2016.

  • Lertzman, R. (2015). Environmental melancholia: Psychoanalytic dimensions of engagement. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menzies Lyth, I. (1960). A case study in the functioning of social systems as a defence against anxiety. Human Relations, 13(2), 95–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norgaard, K. M. (2011). Living in denial: Climate change, emotions and everyday life. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Randall, R. (2009). Loss and climate change: The cost of parallel narratives. Ecopsychology, 1(3), 118–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapley, C. (2014). Time for change? Climate science reconsidered: The report of the UCL Policy Commission on Communicating Climate Science. London: University College of London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spratt, D. & Dunlop, I. (2018). What lies beneath: The understatement of existential climate risk. https://www.breakthroughonline.org.au/whatliesbeneath.

  • Thomas, M. (2014, October 28). Climate depression is for real: Just ask a scientist. Grist.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weintrobe, S. (2013). Engaging with climate change: Psychoanalytic and interdisciplinary perspectives. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zerubavel, E. (2007). The elephant in the room: Silence and denial in everyday life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rosemary Randall .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Randall, R., Hoggett, P. (2019). Engaging with Climate Change: Comparing the Cultures of Science and Activism. In: Hoggett, P. (eds) Climate Psychology. Studies in the Psychosocial. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11741-2_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics