When anger meets joy

How emotions mobilise and sustain the anti-coal seam gas movement in regional Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID6220545
AuthorsHedda Ransan-Cooper (0000-0002-9053-0229, Research School for Computer Science, the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, corresponding author), Selen A Ercan (0000-0002-3649-2882, University of Canberra), Sonya Duu (0000-0002-9556-2449, University of Canberra)
Year2018
Volume17
Issue6
Pages635-657
Publication date2018-11-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial movement studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1474-2829 • E-ISSN: 1474-2837
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14742837.2018.1515624
OpenAlexW2890828167
LanguageEN
Citations received38
References cited53

In many countries, the expansion of unconventional gas exploration and development has been met with grassroots resistance; the scale and depth of which has surprised even movement organisers. An often-remarked feature of the movement’s success is the teaming up of farmers and environmental organisers, historically at odds with one another on other environmental issues. This paper explores the role of emotions in building alliances, and mobilising opponents of coal seam gas (CSG) in a particular rural setting in Australia. Drawing on interviews with anti-CSG movement participants, the paper argues that emotions help to explain how the movement has mobilised and sustained alliances despite differences between movement participants. We find that while anger plays a central role in mobilising various anti-CSG actors, it is the combination of anger with joy which helps to sustain the anti-CSG movement in regional Australia. Our analysis reveals three key sites (individuals, within groups, and the public arena) where these emotions are expressed and negotiated, and emphasises the influence of the rural context in this process

Aesthetics · Anger · Coal · Coal mining · Context (archaeology · Grassroots · Movement (music · Odds · Political science · Politics · Social movement · Sociology · Engineering · History · Law · Mining and Resource Management · Psychology · Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy · Social Psychology · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development

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