Social transformation for environmental and social justice is at the heart of this effort. Our aim is to generate and engage evidence, original insights and constructive criticisms with the explicit purpose of building a better world. Environmental and social activism, environmental justice and urban social geography are explored with full intentions of not only gaining further understanding but also contributing to the promotion of environmental and social justice.
What is the nature of environmental and social activism? To what extent and in what cases does environmental and social activism originate or extend an alternative discourse, resist cooptation, and ultimately "push-back" worrying trends in environmental degradation and social inequality? This action research agenda explores the nature of environmental and social activism and the concept of "push-back" in which neoliberalization is challenged. Action research on Fracking (hydraulic fracturing), Climate Activism and the Occupy Movement help to shed light on and support these phenomena.
Environmental Justice is a concept that brings social justice to the fore of environmental concerns. Movements for environmental justice transform environmental discourse in ways that address social, economic, and political equality. As part of our efforts to understand and promote environmental justice, the Environmental Justice Program was founded at CEU in 2003. Its main goal has been to establish research and active networks involving scholars, activists, and lawyers in a mutual effort to promote environmental justice in Central and Eastern Europe and around the world.
Urban social geography can reflect the dominant socioeconomic ideology in our cultures, our attitudes toward each other, the environment, and materiality. Action research in this area is geared toward generating understanding about the transformation of urban social and physical geographies and their impacts on economic equality, and social and environmental justice. Critical Mass is a movement that allows for further understanding of how urban social geography is transformed or sustained.
