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Values, Emotions, and Knowledge in the Motivations Underlying Environmental Activism: The Case of Contested Green Spaces in Brussels

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Abstract

This study explores how citizens develop a sense of commonality by investigating the motivations that underlie their environmental activism. Our theoretical framework is based on engagement theory, from which we derive three fundamental components (i.e. cognitive, affective, and behavioural). Data derived from explorative fieldwork and in-depth interviews with engaged citizens and public servants provide the empirical grounding. Set in Brussels, Belgium, we focus on two cases that involve green spaces earmarked for future development and have been contested by citizens who have expressed various ecological and political demands. We find that the cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions are fundamental to understand environmental activism. In addition, we show that personal values are relational in nature and that indignation and anger are identified as pivotal for collective action. Also internal/external efficacy is important to understand citizens’ engagement. Citizens’ motivational components exhibit a robust form of entanglement that highlights a more complex mode of city-making, a finding that may inform environmental policies.

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Data Availability

The data were collected in compliance with KU Leuven ethics regulation.

Notes

  1. Interviewees from Friche Josaphat and Marais Wiels are indicated as FJ_X and MW_X, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

The research for this paper was financially supported by patronage funding provided to KU Leuven for carrying out fundamental scientific research into urban processes and change. In developing the ideas presented here, the authors have received helpful input from Maarten Loopmans and Valerie Dewaelheyns. We also thank the members of Marais Wiels, Friche Josaphat, and Tuiniersforum Des Jardiniers who were generous with their time and knowledge and without whom this research would not be possible. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors, and any remaining errors are ours.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Public Governance Institute, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Kato Van Speybroeck, Trui Steen & Ben Derudder

  2. Division of Geography and Tourism, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Bus 2411, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Kato Van Speybroeck

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  1. Kato Van Speybroeck
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Kato Van Speybroeck. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Kato Van Speybroeck, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Kato Van Speybroeck.

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Van Speybroeck, K., Steen, T. & Derudder, B. Values, Emotions, and Knowledge in the Motivations Underlying Environmental Activism: The Case of Contested Green Spaces in Brussels. Voluntas (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-024-00656-5

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