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“We became our own media!” : Australian perspectives on the beneficial potentialities of new media for environmental activism

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  • Diletta Luna Calibeo

    (Queensland University of Technology (QUT))

Abstract

This article discusses activist perceptions of the beneficial potentialities of new media for environmental campaigning as investigated in Australia, due to its high level of environmental activism and Internet usage. Drawing upon literature on communication theory, environmental politics, digital activism, and social movement theory, this study explores new media use for activism in two large Australia-wide environmental campaigns: contestation of old-growth forest logging and unconventional gas mining (fracking) development. From March to May 2017, 34 environmental activists involved in these campaigns were interviewed for this study. They shared their opinions on what it meant for them to use new media, the difficulties they encountered, but also the beneficial potentialities they identified in using these media for their activism. The study findings show that new media built significantly on more ‘traditional’ forms of activism, including stalls and non-violent street demonstrations, but also enabled extended activist outreach, enhanced engagement with supporters, and boosted campaign mobilisation. As such, despite an array of quite challenging limitations they also referred to, and to which they responded strategically, Australian environmental activists found new media highly beneficial to their activism.

Suggested Citation

  • Diletta Luna Calibeo, 2024. "“We became our own media!” : Australian perspectives on the beneficial potentialities of new media for environmental activism," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(2), pages 213-223, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:14:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-023-00885-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-023-00885-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Heather A. Fischer & Miranda L. Bernard & Krista Kemppinen & Leah R. Gerber, 2023. "Conservation awareness through social media," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 13(1), pages 23-30, March.
    2. Dadit Hidayat & Randy Stoecker, 2018. "Community-based organizations and environmentalism: how much impact can small, community-based organizations working on environmental issues have?," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 8(4), pages 395-406, December.
    3. Clara Changxin Fang, 2021. "The case for environmental advocacy," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(2), pages 169-172, June.
    4. Hindmarsh, Richard & Alidoust, Sara, 2019. "Rethinking Australian CSG transitions in participatory contexts of local social conflict, community engagement, and shifts towards cleaner energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 272-282.
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