The Rewards and Stresses of Social Change

Abstract

Although a number of studies have compared individuals who become activists to those who do not, little is known about the ongoing rewards and struggles experienced by committed activists. The present research, as part of a larger study, specifically assesses the most common rewards and stresses experienced by peace activists. Surveys of 75 current peace activists were analyzed in terms of their most frequent rewarding and stressful experiences. Surprisingly, the community of fellow activists was cited as both the most rewarding and most stressful aspect of being a peace activist. The meaningfulness of peace work emerged as the second most common reward, and success in achieving goals was third. Failure to achieve goals was the second most frequent stressful experience. Results are discussed in terms of (a) interpersonal conflict resolution among peace activists and its implications for their peace work, (b) the ability of peace activists to endure a great deal of stress in the context of their work being meaningful, and (c) the assumptions of previous research that success and failure are the most salient features of activists' experience.

It's Not Easy Being Green: The Role of Self-Evaluations in Explaining Support of Environmental Issues

“…Self-affirmers engaged in the most extensive issuesupportive behavior, reflecting their strong psychological foundation based on low self-doubts and high self-assets. The idea that individuals can interpret such a positive self despite a challenging context (i.e., environmental issues) contrasts with the dominant portrait of social issue supporters as actors who routinely burn out and often fall short of their objectives (Gomes, 1992;Maslach & Gomes, 2006)-a portrayal most consistent with our selfcritic profile. At the same time, even the psychologically strongest environmental issue supporters had self-doubts.…”

When Ignoring the News and Going Hiking Can Help You Save the World: Environmental Activist Strategies for Persistence

“…Some of the strategies I uncovered during in-depth interviews with environmental activists were consistent with other movements in the literature review. Thinking long-term, staying positive, managing life responsibilities, adapting careers were present in the literature review of scholarship on peace activism, animal activism, and progressive activism (Andrews 1991;Downton and Wehr 1998;Gomes 1992;Einwohner 2002;Lowan-Trudeau 2017;Newman 2012;Valocchi 2013). One strategy and form of self-care, in particular, that I discussed is seemingly less translatable to other movements: time in nature.…”

“…An example of an internal cause may be burning out due to a strong affective bond with the movement driving activists to overextend themselves Goodwin, Jasper, and Polletta 2004). Thus, failures such as losing a political battle may take a personal emotional toll on activists, perhaps causing them to feel they failed their life purpose (Gomes 1992;Pines 1994). External causes of burnout can involve personal traumas or stressors from outside sources (Cox 2011).…”

“…At a procedural level, organizations can aid persistence when activists feel more empowered and efficacious (Bunnage 2014;Manzo and Weinstein 1987) and less frustrated with bureaucracy, disorganization, or poor leadership (Cox 2011). Organizations also support persistence when they can work to resolve interpersonal conflicts between activists (Gomes 1992).…”

“…In an autoethnography on environmental activism, one scholar called it a "cautious optimism" that one must maintain to persist (Lowan-Trudeau 2017). Also, in multiple studies scholars find that making activism central to one's life mission and source of meaning helps activists persist (Andrews 1991;Gomes 1992;Pines 1994;Valocchi 2013). Despite maintaining occupations that are separate from their activism, activists can frame their work as a "career, calling, and way of life" (Valocchi 2013:169), rendering competing responsibilities less important.…”