Examining the Barriers and Drivers for Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions Across Canada Using a Social Movement Theory Lens

Abstract

This study examines the barriers and drivers to student-led mobilization for sustainability in higher education institutions (HEIs) across Canada. Findings indicate that the most common barrier to student mobilization was a lack of political opportunities and social capital. In response, the findings indicate that the primary drivers that student-led sustainability groups used to overcome barriers included: sharing framing perspectives to inspire and motivate action across campuses, using social networks to borrow and leverage social capital from other stakeholders, and impacting campus stakeholder behaviors resulting in the creation of a culture of sustainability. Social movement theories have been applied to the barriers and drivers to student-led action in order to provide a deeper understanding of how students mobilize on campuses. The findings suggest that while students may struggle to elicit policy changes across HEIs due to common barriers, their efforts can successfully shift the campus culture of sustainability. This study addresses an identified need for more literature investigating sustainability activism in higher education more broadly and more specifically fills a gap in our understanding of how student activism may contribute to social change.

Citation

Murray, J. and Wright, T. (2024), "Examining the Barriers and Drivers for Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions Across Canada Using a Social Movement Theory Lens", Leitz, L. (Ed.) Strategies and Outcomes (Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change, Vol. 48), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 69-95. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0163-786X20240000048004