14 research outputs found
Recycling alone or protesting together? Values as a basis for pro-environmental social change actions
Social change can be pursued by participating in a public protest, joining a community gardening initiative, or recycling at home. However, little research has investigated how individual differences in values relate to people’s engagement in different types of social change actions in the context of pro-environmental behavior. We hypothesized that values would be differentially related to different types of social change actions, based on different goals that each of these actions may have (e.g., changing one’s own behavior or influencing others). A survey among people engaged in pro-environmental activism during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference supported our predictions. Specifically, we found that individual behavior and community-based actions were uniquely related to biospheric values (i.e., a key concern for nature and the environment). However, other social change actions (e.g., public protest) were uniquely related to altruistic values (i.e., a key concern for the welfare of all people), and pro-environmental lobbying was positively related to egoistic values (i.e., a key concern for power and achievement). Our findings suggest that different behaviors directed at pro-environmental social change may be based on different values. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings
Chromosomal Evolution and Apomixis in the Cruciferous Tribe Boechereae
The mustard family (Brassicaceae) comprises several dozen monophyletic clades usually ranked as tribes. The tribe Boechereae plays a prominent role in plant research due to the incidence of apomixis and its close relationship to Arabidopsis. This tribe, largely confined to western North America, harbors nine genera and c. 130 species, with \u3e90% of species belonging to the genus Boechera. Hundreds of apomictic diploid and triploid Boechera hybrids have spurred interest in this genus, but the remaining Boechereae genomes remain virtually unstudied. Here we report on comparative genome structure of six genera (Borodinia, Cusickiella, Phoenicaulis, Polyctenium, Nevada, and Sandbergia) and three Boechera species as revealed by comparative chromosome painting (CCP). All analyzed taxa shared the same seven-chromosome genome structure. Comparisons with the sister Halimolobeae tribe (n = 8) showed that the ancestral Boechereae genome (n = 7) was derived from an older n = 8 genome by descending dysploidy followed by the divergence of extant Boechereae taxa. As tribal divergence post-dated the origin of four tribe-specific chromosomes, it is proposed that these chromosomal rearrangements were a key evolutionary innovation underlaying the origin and diversification of the Boechereae in North America. Although most Boechereae genera exhibit genomic conservatism, intra-tribal cladogenesis has occasionally been accompanied by chromosomal rearrangements (particularly inversions). Recently, apomixis was reported in the Boechereae genera Borodinia and Phoenicaulis. Here, we report sexual reproduction in diploid Nevada, diploid Sandbergia, and tetraploid Cusickiella and aposporous apomixis in tetraploids of Polyctenium and Sandbergia. In sum, apomixis is now known to occur in five of the nine Boechereae genera
Eco-village: Source of Social Change?
The contribution looks at eco-villages as a one of the more interesting (and holistic) responses to the contemporary crises from the environmentalism movement’s point of view. In this Period of Revitalization where changes in social paradigms are commencing and “mazeways” are being reformulated (Orr, 2003), these communities are “using local participatory processes to holistically integrate ecological, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of sustainability in order to regenerate social and natural environments” (Global Ecovillage Network, gen.ecovillage.org).
Besides developing, testing and using sustainable technologies, eco-villages have been experimenting with different social systems, explicitly developing complex community processes, including fostering common identities, promoting common values and emotional connections (also referred to as “spirituality”). In this manner, eco-villages present a special case where environmentalism and spirituality movements have been able to connect, overcome their distaste for organization and form local action groups that had stood the test of time and have been consistently becoming stronger and more elaborated. In the light of the theory of minority influence (Moscovici, 1969), we could consider eco-villages as one of the innovators within the process of the environmentalism paradigm shift and a source of continuous social change towards environmentally friendly lifestyle. In their innovation, they represent a specific place where environmental knowledge is re-elaborated and new social representations are shared.
Leading from this premise an on-going research project is addressing eco-villages as practitioners of minority influence as well as special contexts of communities based on shared social representations of environmentalism and spirituality. Types of community-based knowledge, its processes of re-elaboration as well as communication flow (inside and outside these communities), and conflicts that are part of these processes are considered. The project draws together newspaper media analysis and an explorative ethnographic study of two eco-villages (one in Italy and one in Great Britain) with a triangulation of data (observation participation, questionnaires, focus groups/semi-structured interviews
Wind Turbines, Solar Panel and Beautiful Landscapes. An Exploration of the Image of Energy Sustainability in Italy
Transition to sustainable energy is one of the main challenges for the future of humanity and, in order to achieve this goal, technical innovation as well as cultural and societal shifts are required (Fouquet & Pearson, 2012; World Energy Council, 2013).
The present contribution – that is part of a larger ongoing project (ACCESI, w3.uniroma1.it/accesi) aimed at examining psychosocial factors that affect energy sustainability in Italy – focuses on the figurative nucleus of the social representation of sustainable energy currently shared in Italy.
Key to energy sustainability are the representations of energy, of energy systems, and of their users (Dobson, 2003; Stern & Aronson, 1984). Transition from a hard to a soft energy path (Lovins, 1976; 1977) requires the development of new representations of all these three issues. While the hard path is characterised by top-down governance, the use of non renewable sources, and the presence of large scale production sites, the soft path includes a set of representations characterised by decentralised and bottom-up governance, small scales production sites, as well as active and conscious energy citizens and communities (Devine-Wright, 2007).
Previous research conducted on the press and political debates in the years 2009-2012 shows that, in Italy, the use of renewables is not yet coupled with cultural transformation: users are still depicted as lacking awareness, competence and interest (Sarrica, Brondi & Cottone, in press).
The current contribution extends these results by analysing the figurative nucleus of the representation of sustainable energy. Our dataset is constituted by a large set of photographs (N= 199) collected on the occasion of a photo competition aimed to inform, raise awareness and promote energy transition themes. Data were submitted to quantitative and qualitative content analysis.
Preliminary results confirm previous investigations: energy systems are mainly depicted trough large power plants that require centralised management, humans are almost excluded from the images as if sustainability was only an environmental issue, the relationship between technologies and landscape is ambivalent. Methodological, applied and policy implications will be discussed
Recycling Alone or Protesting Together? Values as a Basis for Pro-environmental Social Change Actions
Social change can be pursued by participating in a public protest, joining a community gardening initiative, or recycling at home. However, little research has investigated how individual differences in values relate to people’s engagement in different types of social change actions in the context of pro-environmental behavior. We hypothesized that values would be differentially related to different types of social change actions, based on different goals that each of these actions may have (e.g., changing one’s own behavior or influencing others). A survey among people engaged in pro-environmental activism during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference supported our predictions. Specifically, we found that individual behavior and community-based actions were uniquely related to biospheric values (i.e., a key concern for nature and the environment). However, other social change actions (e.g., public protest) were uniquely related to altruistic values (i.e., a key concern for the welfare of all people), and pro-environmental lobbying was positively related to egoistic values (i.e., a key concern for power and achievement). Our findings suggest that different behaviors directed at pro-environmental social change may be based on different values. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings
Beyond Wind Turbines, Solar Panels and Beautiful Landscapes. Figurative Components of Sustainable Energy in Italy
This study extends previous research conducted on textual data and focuses on the figurative components of the social representation (SR) of sustainable energy currently shared in Italy. Our aim was to examine images as products, sources and forms of transmission of SRs and to answer three main questions concerning the SR of sustainable energy: Can a shared figurative nucleus be identified? What alternative images do these components activate? And how are images used in the making of SRs? Mixed methodology was used to examine a large set of photographs (N=167), collected from two independent competitions on the theme of energy transition. First, photographs were submitted to content and cluster analyses in order to identify recurrent patterns. Second, a selection of photographs was used in four small group semi structured discussions. Participants were asked to sort them, as well as define and discuss the topic of sustainable energy.
Results showed the prevalence of ecocentric and technocentric representations of sustainable energy, which are coherent with previous research, as well as an anthropocentric representation, which was used to challenge shared views. This suggests that the rise of new visions of urban sustainability may be challenging the most central elements of the representation. Methodological, applied and policy implications are discussed