Published September 2024

By Stephen Langford

The multiple impacts that humans have on the environment are becoming ever more evident with actions and resolutions urgently required. Activisms help shape where the environmental debate is focused, can raise collective consciousness, signpost solutions and are central to a vibrant democracy (Doherty, 2013) (Langford, 2023).

Academics have been key to identifying the problem and nature of climate change, its potential diverse impacts, and actions and timescales required to ameliorate those impacts. This research has investigated responses of academics to global environmental climate change. It has focused on the extent to which academics adopt a range of activisms, advocacy, activist practices and stances with the consequential opportunities, strategies and risks.

This Working Paper gives context to the research in examining the main relevant literature on advocacy and activism, activist research, student activism, scholar activism, scientist activism, non-violent direct action, academic initiated relationships to activisms, and the emergence of climate change denial.