From Outreach to Arson: A Critical Look at the Contemporary Animal Rights and Environmental Movement

Abstract

This research project examines the contemporary animal rights and environmental movements and participants’ ideological support for a diverse range of strategies and tactics. It also looks at how activists within these movements perceive and react to these tactics and their use. The study was conducted over a period of eight months and utilized a mixed methods approach to research using both a quantitative survey and open-ended in-depth interviews. The findings suggest that activists within the movements by and large support the use of both aboveground tactics (e.g. educational outreach) and underground tactics (e.g. economic sabotage). A majority of respondents suggested that the movement as a whole should utilize aboveground and underground tactics. There was some significant disagreement over the use of more controversial tactics such as arson and property destruction. While approximately 25% of respondents supported such action, there were relatively stringent divisions along politically ideological lines, with those identifying as anarchists most likely to support these clandestine tactics. The study found that a moderately strong correlation between political ideology and support for tactics of an underground or clandestine nature.