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"I don't have to suffer just because I'm an activist": The role of humour as an adaptive coping strategy in managing eco-anxiety of climate activists

Väänänen, Vappu Jenny Aurora LU (2025) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20251
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
The concept of ‘eco-anxiety’ has increasingly gained traction both in media and academia, with climate activists hypothesised as prone to experiencing it. However, humour has for long been a crucial aspect of social movements, and it holds strong potential in adaptively coping with stressors. Therefore, this thesis aims to describe climate activists’ emotional experiences characterised as eco-anxiety and explore how humour can be used as an adaptive coping strategy to manage eco-anxiety. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with climate activists in Denmark and Sweden. Resultantly, various eco-emotions are commonly felt, and humour is used more often indirectly than directly to cope. Regardless, emotional experiences are complex,... (More)
The concept of ‘eco-anxiety’ has increasingly gained traction both in media and academia, with climate activists hypothesised as prone to experiencing it. However, humour has for long been a crucial aspect of social movements, and it holds strong potential in adaptively coping with stressors. Therefore, this thesis aims to describe climate activists’ emotional experiences characterised as eco-anxiety and explore how humour can be used as an adaptive coping strategy to manage eco-anxiety. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with climate activists in Denmark and Sweden. Resultantly, various eco-emotions are commonly felt, and humour is used more often indirectly than directly to cope. Regardless, emotional experiences are complex, and various limitations and conditionalities about the benefits and morality of humour are emphasised. Future research should aim to delve deeper into both issues to cultivate a more comprehensive understanding of eco anxiety and humour’s role in climate activism. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Väänänen, Vappu Jenny Aurora LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
eco-anxiety, climate activism, humour, adaptive coping, qualitative research, sustainability science
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2025:022
language
English
id
9194096
date added to LUP
2025-06-09 09:15:50
date last changed
2025-06-09 09:15:50
@misc{9194096,
  abstract     = {{The concept of ‘eco-anxiety’ has increasingly gained traction both in media and academia, with climate activists hypothesised as prone to experiencing it. However, humour has for long been a crucial aspect of social movements, and it holds strong potential in adaptively coping with stressors. Therefore, this thesis aims to describe climate activists’ emotional experiences characterised as eco-anxiety and explore how humour can be used as an adaptive coping strategy to manage eco-anxiety. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with climate activists in Denmark and Sweden. Resultantly, various eco-emotions are commonly felt, and humour is used more often indirectly than directly to cope. Regardless, emotional experiences are complex, and various limitations and conditionalities about the benefits and morality of humour are emphasised. Future research should aim to delve deeper into both issues to cultivate a more comprehensive understanding of eco anxiety and humour’s role in climate activism.}},
  author       = {{Väänänen, Vappu Jenny Aurora}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{"I don't have to suffer just because I'm an activist": The role of humour as an adaptive coping strategy in managing eco-anxiety of climate activists}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}