This book addresses the pressing need to understand what underpins participation in environmentalism at the current conjuncture of socioecological crisis. It looks at the everyday struggles of environmental activists and the factors that affect participation in environmentalist action across life trajectories. It utilises a sociological framework drawn from Pierre Bourdieu to highlight what drives environmentalists throughout their activism, and perhaps more importantly, what reflexive compromises are made as they seek viability and recognition across a range of life commitments. Through critical analysis of these struggles the author provides a way of understanding the dynamics at play in the movement and highlights a range of political possibilities that arise, each with profound consequences for the long-term direction of environmental advocacy. This book will appeal to social movement scholars, activists and organisers who wish to think through movement building, activist practices, and everyday strategising to create better social and environmental futures.

Tim Gentles is an Interdisciplinary Researcher and Scholar-Activist with a PhD in Sociology from the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Science, University of Newcastle, Australia.