Extinction Rebellion

Definition

Extinction Rebellion is a global movement advocating for urgent action to address climate change and ecological collapse through nonviolent civil disobedience. This grassroots organization emphasizes the need to raise public awareness about the climate crisis and pressurize governments to take decisive action, making it a vital part of discussions surrounding environmental literature and activism in contemporary society.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Extinction Rebellion was founded in 2018 in the United Kingdom and quickly gained international attention through high-profile protests and acts of civil disobedience.
2. The movement operates on three core demands: governments must tell the truth about the climate emergency, reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025, and create a citizens' assembly to oversee climate action.
3. Members of Extinction Rebellion utilize diverse strategies like sit-ins, roadblocks, and artistic displays to attract media coverage and provoke public discourse on climate issues.
4. The movement has sparked widespread discussions in literature and art about humanity's relationship with nature, emphasizing themes of urgency and existential threat.
5. Extinction Rebellion's impact has led to increased participation in climate activism, influencing other organizations and reshaping the narrative around climate change in various forms of media.

Review Questions

• How does Extinction Rebellion's approach to activism challenge traditional views on climate change and engagement?
  • Extinction Rebellion's use of nonviolent civil disobedience significantly challenges traditional approaches to climate activism, which often focus on lobbying or policy advocacy. By employing tactics like mass protests and disruption of daily life, they seek to create urgency around climate issues that conventional methods might overlook. This confrontational style aims to provoke immediate action from governments and society, reflecting the dire state of the environment.
• Discuss how Extinction Rebellion aligns with or diverges from other movements focused on ecological crises, such as Climate Justice.
  • Extinction Rebellion shares common goals with movements like Climate Justice, as both advocate for urgent action against climate change. However, while Climate Justice emphasizes addressing inequities faced by marginalized communities affected by environmental degradation, Extinction Rebellion focuses more on raising general public awareness through dramatic protest. This can sometimes lead to tension within the broader environmental movement regarding priorities and strategies for effecting change.
• Evaluate the role of literature and art in shaping the narrative around Extinction Rebellion and its impact on public perception of climate issues.
  • Literature and art play a critical role in shaping the narrative around Extinction Rebellion by providing platforms for expression that amplify the urgency of climate issues. Through various forms of storytelling—be it fiction that imagines future ecological collapse or poetry that evokes emotional responses—these artistic expressions resonate with audiences and promote deeper engagement with environmental crises. As a result, they contribute to shifting public perception, making the existential threat posed by climate change more tangible and compelling.

Related terms

Climate Justice: A movement that seeks to address the ethical and political dimensions of climate change, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental issues on marginalized communities.

Ecocriticism: A literary theory that examines the relationship between literature and the physical environment, often highlighting environmental issues and advocating for ecological awareness.

Nonviolent Resistance: A strategy for social change that rejects the use of violence, instead using peaceful protests, demonstrations, and civil disobedience to achieve political goals.