Anti-reflexivity
Abstract
The American conservative movement is a force of anti-reflexivity insofar as it attacks two key elements of reflexive modernization: the environmental movement and environmental impact science. Learning from its mistakes in overtly attacking environmental regulations in the early 1980s, this counter-movement has subsequently exercised a more subtle form of power characterized by non-decision-making. We examine the conservative movement’s efforts to undermine climate science and policy in the USA over the last two decades by using this second dimension of power. The conservative movement has employed four non-decision-making techniques to challenge the legitimacy of climate science and prevent progress in policy-making. We argue that reflexive modernization scholars should focus more attention on similar forces of anti-reflexivity that continue to shape the overall direction of our social, political and economic order, and the life chances of many citizens. Indeed, better understanding of the forces and effectiveness of anti-reflexivity may very well be crucial for societal resilience and adaptation, especially in the face of global environmental problems like climate change.
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Echo chambers have been observed for climate change discussions on social media.
“Previously echo chambers have been observed for climate change discussions on social media (Williams et al., 2015;McCright and Dunlap, 2010).”
From Credibility of climate change denial in social media (2019) · cites this paper as McCright and Dunlap, 2010
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Dunlap, R. E., Xiao, C., & McCright, A. M. (2001) · Environmental Politics · doi:10.1080/714000580 · Cited by 432 · see citing works
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- Authors
- McCright, A. M., & Dunlap, R. E.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Oklahoma State University (US)
- Venue
- Theory, Culture & Society
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-03
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 2-3
- Pages
- 100-133
- ISSN
- 0263-2764 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-3616
- OpenAlex
- W2153920784
- Cited by
- 539
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 41 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 98.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Theory Culture & Society (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Climate Change Policy and Economics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate Change and Sustainable Development
- Keywords
- reflexive modernization, climate science, climate policy, environmental movement, scientific legitimacy, social resilience, climate change
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