This contribution examines the current moral and political debate about the motivational gap – i.e., the gap between our plentiful know- ledge about climate change and the environmental crisis and our slow action before it. Questioning the idea that moral argumentation alone pushes individuals to action, this paper explores other motivating forces, including habits and emotions. In contrast to the philosophical “affec- tive turn”, this paper recognises that a social and political management of emotions prevents them from being authentic and spontaneous for- ces. Employing sociological research about climate activism, this project hypothesises that apathy results from the combination of fear and power- lessness. However, a positive activation of fear through hope and/or rage could result in more effective action against climate change
Attivismo per la giustizia climatica: Motivazione, emozioni, abitudini / Konderak, Letizia. - (2026), pp. 193-203. [10.15168/11572_473690]
Attivismo per la giustizia climatica: Motivazione, emozioni, abitudini
Konderak Letizia
2026-01-01
Abstract
This contribution examines the current moral and political debate about the motivational gap – i.e., the gap between our plentiful know- ledge about climate change and the environmental crisis and our slow action before it. Questioning the idea that moral argumentation alone pushes individuals to action, this paper explores other motivating forces, including habits and emotions. In contrast to the philosophical “affec- tive turn”, this paper recognises that a social and political management of emotions prevents them from being authentic and spontaneous for- ces. Employing sociological research about climate activism, this project hypothesises that apathy results from the combination of fear and power- lessness. However, a positive activation of fear through hope and/or rage could result in more effective action against climate changeI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.


