This review is from the journal Environmental Politics (Vol. 18, No. 3, May 2009)

Transnational identity politics and the environment, by Gabriel Ignatow,

Lanham, MD, Lexington Books, 2007, 137 pp., £36.00 (hardback), ISBN

0-7391-2015-8

This is a very welcome book. In spite of a title which somewhat misrepresents its

true content and orientation, it ventures into fascinating terrain: that of the current

nature of environmentalism, as opposed to environmentalism as we knew it. That

is precisely the reason why it could easily be overlooked, since its conclusions stand

in many regards against the mainstream theoretical view – and social form – of

environmentalism. Specifically, it is claimed here that the analysis of environmentalism

cannot be based upon modernity and the critique of globalisation; or not

solely. Instead,wemust look to post-modernity, globalisation and hybridisation as

the main forces explaining the emergence of a new, more fragmented and less

universal wave of green social movements. No more, no less.

Thus we can understand this book as being part of the latest re-thinking of

green politics and environmentalism, which has been taking place for a decade

or so. Basically, this means the end of the theoretical monopoly enjoyed by the

moralising and anti-liberal stance of early environmentalism – and accordingly

the opening of green politics to different political traditions and a more

pluralistic pool of theoretical resources. It also means, despite appearances, a

shift from apocalyptic pessimism to reasonable optimism. This new spirit is

also present in this book, since it basically contests the main sociological

explanations about the state of environmental movements – from Ulrich Beck

to the plethora of anti-globalisation sociologists – and argues that a more

positive view of post-modernity is as necessary as it is beneficial. The reason is

simple: the present reality of environmental movements no longer fits the old

theories. But what is the reality?

Ignatow’s book offers a compelling mixture of theoretical inquiry and

empirical study. Whereas the former deploys a detailed review of the main

trends of societal evolution, as seen from a post-modernist standpoint, which

rightly emphasises the positive consequences of globalisation, the latter

provides – through the case studies of Turkey and Lithuania – an empirical

corroboration of the main hypothesis, namely – ‘Environmentalism is

becoming more multicultural and indigenized, more attuned to collective

identities, cherished traditions and traditional religion’ (p. 3). It is not so cool

anymore, as the standard view of globalisation would imply, to be modern,

Western and rational. This is because globalisation hybridises and particularises

cultures and political configurations, creating hybrid and transnational

forms of environmental activism. In turn, this means that environmental

movements are less keen to look for legitimacy in the state and science; instead,

they shift to ethnic and regional identities and religion. Ignatow offers

convincing statistical and empirical data to support this assertion. A much

more diverse green movement has gradually arisen.

However, although the author is not interested in judging this phenomenon,

he argues that it is clearly a part of what has come to be known as the

‘death of environmentalism’ or, at least, environmentalism as it used to be,

from the beginning in the 1960s until the last decade. To be sure, we can read

the death of environmentalism in very different ways – for example, as the

liberal assimilation of environmentalism – but Ignatow argues that globalisation

produces a genuine diversification of the green movement. Paradoxical as

it may appear, the fact is that globalisation leads to more particularistic and

less universalistic social and cultural movements.

Some questions remain unanswered. For example, is the diversification of

environmentalism good for the environment? If it is good for the environment,

is it also good for democracy? Are identity and religion unexpected allies

welcomed in the green milieu? However, this book is not intended to answer

these questions. Ignatow makes his argument with brevity and clarity and has

produced a rich and contestable book.