Disruptive Do-It-Ourselves politics: young climate and environmental activists
Résumé
Young people’s climate and environmental activism has gained much attention in recent
years. Young activists are raising awareness and concern about climate change and
intersecting injustices, while hoping for more sustainable democracies, in a kinder world. By
protesting in large numbers around the world about political and corporate inaction on
climate change, young people have been disrupting the political status quo and negative
stereotypes about their alleged disinterest in politics. Young activists have been adopting,
adapting and expanding the repertoire of contention, using deliberately disruptive tactics and
their actions can be understood as Do-It-Ourselves (DIO) politics. This chapter discusses how
and why the ongoing wave of youth-led and youth-supported climate and environmental
activism is disruptive. First, it focuses on young climate and environmental activists as
disruptors (actors). Next, it deals with the goals and demands of young climate and
environmental activists’ protests (aims). Last, the chapter looks at the protest tactics carried
out by young climate and environmental activists (actions). As youth political engagement is
often overlooked or dismissed, disruptive DIO politics is a way for young climate and
environmental activists to shift the status quo by making their voices heard about an issue of
great concern to them.