Motherhood and environmental activism: A developmental framework

Abstract

This article presents a framework for understanding a relatively unexamined motivation for environmental activism—motherhood. Environmental mother-activism is described as a multifaceted type of activism that emerges through a woman's role identity as a mother and the associated meanings and responsibilities she assigns to this social position. We employ an interdisciplinary framework for understanding the emergence of environmental mother-activists (ENVIMAs) and the various ways in which this activism manifests in public and private domains. To gain a richer understanding of this particular stimulus for environmental activism and the mechanisms through which it is enacting change, voices of ENVIMAs are used to supplement academic research and several examples of ENVIMAs in action are provided. In addition, the collective impact of this growing group of eco-activists in accomplishing environmental change is discussed. Their endeavors in public and private spheres are highlighted, including four key areas in the private domain: technology, household practices, market power, and role modeling.