Alexander, Nita, Petray, Theresa, and McDowall, Ailie (2026) Prefigurative Practice: Acting in the Present, Foreboding the Future. In: Akram, Sadiya, and Bowman, Benjamin, (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Young People's Environmental Activism. Routledge Environment and Sustainability Handbooks . Routledge, New York, NY, USA, pp. 352-361.

PDF (Author Accepted Version) - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 December 2027.

Abstract

While youth have been socially constructed as not-yet-political, their participation in social movements throughout history, and in response to the current climate crisis, suggests otherwise. This chapter explores young climate activists' uses of prefigurative strategies in global climate movements. Prefigurative politics explains how young people are inserting themselves into the political realm prior to being eligible. Prefigurative activism relates to the strategies employed in the climate change movement, such as lifestyle choices, inclusive and horizontal practices, and ethical consumption. Prefigurative foreboding is achieved through the use of protest spaces as temporary autonomous zones which provide a taste of disruption akin to what lack of climate action will entail. To examine these strategies, we draw on data generated via individual semi-structured interviews with young activists and ethnographic observation at activism events in Perth, Western Australia. The concept of prefigurative practice contributes to understandings that young people’s future imaginaries are built from their knowledge and experience of the climate crisis, inform their capacity and understanding of their experience of reality, and influence their investment in, and sense of responsibility to achieve climate action.

Item ID:	93537
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-1-003-40943-4
Copyright Information:	© 2026 selection and editorial matter, Sadiya Akram and Benjamin Bowman; individual chapters, the contributors.
Date Deposited:	27 Aug 2026 04:41
FoR Codes:	44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4410 Sociology > 441004 Social change @ 100%
SEO Codes:	23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2302 Government and politics > 230201 Civics and citizenship @ 80% 28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280123 Expanding knowledge in human society @ 20%
Downloads:	Total: 1 Last 12 Months: 1
	More Statistics