Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

En jämlik och demokratisk klimatomställning – på vems villkor? En intervjustudie om klimatet, arbetarkollektivet och postpolitiken

Brolin, Linn LU (2023) STVM25 20222
Department of Political Science
Abstract
While the climate crisis is gaining more attention, market mechanisms and individual behaviour changes seem to remain the dominant political answer to mitigate climate change. This thesis aims to examine how blue-collar labour unions in Sweden position themselves in the climate transition. Additionally, it explores ideological frontlines and identifies interest conflicts and power relations in the transition to a fossil-free society. The research gathered is based on interviews, climate reports, and congressional documents from the unions. Drawing upon Mouffe’s and Swyngedouw’s theoretical framework of post-politics, the results indicate that labour unions in various degrees are expressing a counter-hegemonic critique to individualised and... (More)
While the climate crisis is gaining more attention, market mechanisms and individual behaviour changes seem to remain the dominant political answer to mitigate climate change. This thesis aims to examine how blue-collar labour unions in Sweden position themselves in the climate transition. Additionally, it explores ideological frontlines and identifies interest conflicts and power relations in the transition to a fossil-free society. The research gathered is based on interviews, climate reports, and congressional documents from the unions. Drawing upon Mouffe’s and Swyngedouw’s theoretical framework of post-politics, the results indicate that labour unions in various degrees are expressing a counter-hegemonic critique to individualised and market-based climate mitigation policies. They acknowledge that the transition to a fossil-free society both implies winners and losers. However, difficulties do not necessarily have to occur as long as there are actual conditions for people to engage in the transition. Finding synergies between precarious working conditions and unfulfilled climate commitments, labour unions are demanding a public and investment-led climate transition, more redistribution policies, and a higher degree of democratic legitimacy. Nonetheless, to achieve this there is a need to enhance the collective consciousness in order to mobilise against the post-political condition of climate change. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Brolin, Linn LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM25 20222
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
green transition, socio-ecological transformation, post-politics, labour union, just transition
language
Swedish
id
9105582
date added to LUP
2023-02-22 14:11:22
date last changed
2023-02-22 14:11:22
@misc{9105582,
  abstract     = {{While the climate crisis is gaining more attention, market mechanisms and individual behaviour changes seem to remain the dominant political answer to mitigate climate change. This thesis aims to examine how blue-collar labour unions in Sweden position themselves in the climate transition. Additionally, it explores ideological frontlines and identifies interest conflicts and power relations in the transition to a fossil-free society. The research gathered is based on interviews, climate reports, and congressional documents from the unions. Drawing upon Mouffe’s and Swyngedouw’s theoretical framework of post-politics, the results indicate that labour unions in various degrees are expressing a counter-hegemonic critique to individualised and market-based climate mitigation policies. They acknowledge that the transition to a fossil-free society both implies winners and losers. However, difficulties do not necessarily have to occur as long as there are actual conditions for people to engage in the transition. Finding synergies between precarious working conditions and unfulfilled climate commitments, labour unions are demanding a public and investment-led climate transition, more redistribution policies, and a higher degree of democratic legitimacy. Nonetheless, to achieve this there is a need to enhance the collective consciousness in order to mobilise against the post-political condition of climate change.}},
  author       = {{Brolin, Linn}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{En jämlik och demokratisk klimatomställning – på vems villkor? En intervjustudie om klimatet, arbetarkollektivet och postpolitiken}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}