Researching Contemporary Environmental Progressive Social Movements

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the main characteristics of contemporary environmental movements, but also the way they operate and form coalitions with other progressive movements, combining various theoretical perspectives such as resource mobilization, political process, intersectional, social contruction theory and post-structuralism. I will investigate what are the characteristics of the progressive-left ideology that provide the basis for building coalitions, as well as how much influence complementary ideologies actually have on achieving cooperation. For this purpose, I will discuss the expansion and redefinition of the term social movement, in order to be able to capture all forms of coalitional interaction, then I will examine the factors that lead to movements deciding to cooperate using the example of the Italian Water Movement.