Environmentalism Among Polish Youth: A Maturing Social Movement? Available to Purchase

The 1980s saw the appearance of a new generation of ecology activists. Though most remained active through the transition period, many refused to participate in the new political institutions, partly due to cultural habits and partly as a result of deeply held ecological values. Political parties missed the opportunity to engage young activists or to appeal to widespread public sympathy for ecology action. By 1991 some individuals and groups from the ecology movement began to organize effectively to influence the formation and implementation of policy. The author argues that this was a sign both of the maturation of the movement and of civil society in a wider sense.