The Imperative of Praxis-based Environmental Communication Research: Suggestions from the Step It Up 2007 National Research Project

Abstract

In this essay, we discuss our development and implementation of a national research project on the Step It Up 2007 campaign calling for political action to mitigate climate change. Specifically, we discuss this project as it relates to our goal to engage in praxis-based research that can be accessible to activists, publics, and practitioners. First, we discuss the practice of organizing a national praxis-oriented research project. We offer this project, with its benefits and challenges, as one model for engaged research on relevant environmental issues. Second, we discuss how our research findings can serve as a form of praxis when an effort is made to make the findings relevant to practitioners in environmental campaigns and movements. Reflecting on our process, we offer four suggestions for making connections between environmental communication research and environmental advocates. The essay concludes by discussing the imperative of engaging in praxis-based research about our contemporary environmental crisis.

Keywords

Praxis; Social Movements; Activism; Climate Change; Public Scholarship

Published in

Environmental Communication
2008, volume: 2, number: 2, pages: 237-245
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

• Peterson, Tarla

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Texas A&M University

Global goals (SDG)

SDG13 Climate action

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Management

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17524030802141794

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/78081