Negotiating Moderation: The People and the Norwegian Environmental Movement | Negotiating Moderation: The People and the Norwegian Environmental Movement

Since the 1960s democratic member based organizations (DMOs) have formed the back bone of the Norwegian environmental movement (NEM). A series of recent developments, however, have challenged both their dominant position and their need for popular support, prompting an investigation into the relation between the NEM DMOs and the people . This thesis approaches the problematic by investigating how the relation between the DMOs and the people is understood from the perspective of informants working within three NEM DMOs: Norges naturvernforbund, Fremtiden i våre hender, and Folkeaksjonen for et oljefritt Lofoten, Vesterålen og Senja. Through an analysis of semi-structured interviews from 12 informants I will examine three aspects of this relation, the DMOs movement connections, their collective identity and the impact negative public stereotypes have on their operation. Based on these analyses I will argue that the Norwegian DMOs are inclusive organizations with a low level of collective identity, who are afraid of alienating the public by appearing too radical. Despite having relatively few supporters, the DMOs draw on the culturally specific image of folkebevegelse (popular movement) when presenting their organizations. The DMOs focus on low-level and short-term activism, lest a more intensive approach will alienate people, who are viewed as busy, but well-willing. They actively take measures to combat common stereotypes associated with their organizations. Sometimes this takes the form of policy changes, other times it is to hide their more radical positions by presenting their own identity and their message as moderate. As such the DMOs are engaging in a process of frame negotiation where they adjust their identity and their agenda to fit a more moderate image.

Based on these analyses I will argue that the Norwegian DMOs are inclusive organizations with a low level of collective identity, who are afraid of alienating the public by appearing too radical. Despite having relatively few supporters, the DMOs draw on the culturally specific image of folkebevegelse (popular movement) when presenting their organizations. The DMOs focus on low-level and short-term activism, lest a more intensive approach will alienate people, who are viewed as busy, but well-willing. They actively take measures to combat common stereotypes associated with their organizations. Sometimes this takes the form of policy changes, other times it is to hide their more radical positions by presenting their own identity and their message as moderate. As such the DMOs are engaging in a process of frame negotiation where they adjust their identity and their agenda to fit a more moderate image.