We are living amidst some of the largest political gatherings in history, such as the Black Lives Matter protests, the climate strikes, and the International Women’s Day marches. Whether we have participated ourselves or seen activism online, it is clear that the recent burst of social activism is reshaping the world. 

The factors that push people to participate vary widely, but a recent study explores how negative climate experiences may spur people into social activism.

A recent study, “Environmental Migrants and Social-Movement Participation” published in the Journal of Peace Research (2020), investigated whether exposure to climate catastrophes affected engagement in social movements.

Social movements were considered “purposeful, organized groups” which pursued a common goal towards creating change. The study focused on changes related to migrant rights in urban areas.

The researchers surveyed 2,416 respondents from three cities in Kenya. Kenya was chosen for its high urbanization rate and exposure to extreme climate events. Respondents were divided into three categories, those that migrated from rural to urban environments for non-environmental reasons, sudden environmental events, gradual environmental shifts, or both sudden and gradual environmental causes. 

Sudden events included tropical storms and floods. Slow-moving events included drought or salinization

The takeaways from this Kenya-based study are much broader. This makes the research more widely applicable, but it is also important to remember that it is not entirely representative.

Unsurprisingly, those affected by both the sudden and gradual events were the most likely to engage in social activism. This was particularly true of peaceful participation, and partly true for potentially violent protests.

Migrants who had solely experienced sudden events were more likely to engage in activism, but only when peaceful. This was hypothesized to be because the immediacy of sudden climate events leads to less time to cultivate grievances.

The level of activism among migrants affected by gradual events was no different than activism among non-climate-related migrants. 

Having been forced to leave their homes, environmental migrants often consider themselves uprooted. This may be true of all migrants, but the forced nature of environmental crises makes it even more stark, especially among those who experience sudden and gradual events. As a result, the researchers explain, environmental migrants may be less willing to “adjust to their new location.” Such a perspective encourages a mindset of “victimhood, injustice, grief, and anger.” Such valid and intense emotions promote “risk acceptance” and translate well into activism.

Climate migration and the rising numbers of climate migrants are often associated with global security threats. There is a lack of knowledge to back up that claim, but politics and how climate migrants are discussed reinforce it. This can dangerously lead to the people – and not the context they are escaping – being portrayed as the issue. 

This danger is especially true as anti-immigrant sentiment rises worldwide. That is the context in which the study exists and yet it does not address that risk, or take cautions to account for the harmful ways that its research can be used.

As we have seen with recent protests, whether movements are framed as marches or riots, lootings or activism, is a matter of perspective. While social movement participation will increase, both virtually and in person, it is up to us to shape how it is framed.

The increased participation could, as it is in the study, be framed as disorder. The slightly increased willingness to participate in actions, even when they may turn violent, could be highlighted and made alarming.  

Alternatively, we could be excited for the incoming wave of activist-minded community members. We could see their ability to identify fault lines as crucial ways to improve our systems. We could frame their willingness to engage as valuable energy to push us to collectively enhance our policies and support migrant populations. 

This is an optimistic perspective. Such an inclusive and welcoming framework is difficult to imagine amidst anti-immigration rhetoric, tense borders and strained migration facilities. However, migrant communities will continue to enter and shape the United States. If we, as those settled in the States, do not acknowledge this then immigrants will enter and without support their activism could be framed as or even become social unrest. 

The research reminds us to be careful and conscious in our framing of incoming migrant populations. Recognizing the reality of incoming numbers of climate migrants, allows us to more adequately prepare, include and respond to them. 

Social movements – and society overall – must be inclusive of climate migrants so that their energy and passion can help drive change. Unpacking and responding to migrant grievances to make tension useful must be a priority.

This research is also a reminder of the importance of strengthening the coping capacity of communities affected by climate change. The important lessons of the study, that inclusion and engagement of migrant populations are needed – but the ultimate ideal is that people are not forced from their homes.