Climate activism and civil disobedience in democracy. A thematic analysis of its framing in parliamentary debates and the press

Abstract

Climate change poses a serious threat to the enjoyment of fundamental rights for many people worldwide. To protest against the lack of governmental action, civil disobedience has become a popular and often criticized tool within climate protests. There are different theoretical approaches to civil disobedience in academic discourse, one of which emphasizes its democratic function and legitimacy through the necessity to counter democratic deficits. The aim of this research is articulated in the research question: “How do politics and the media frame disobedient climate protest and what narratives do they create?” It seeks to provide a factual contribution to the debate on disobedient climate protest by linking theoretical concepts to the practice of protests. Using thematic analysis, the examination of the political framing in the German parliament shows that the most prevalent framing is against the justification of civil disobedience in climate protest. The protests are not acknowledged as a legitimate form of political participation. Instead, they are often described as illegitimate, criminal, and counterproductive. The press, in the United Kingdom and Germany, offers a more diverse range of frames. The media broadly recognizes the actions of climate movements as civil disobedience and political participation, regardless of their justification. The criminalized framing of the disobedient protests undermines its political function and is used to justify repressive measures against climate activism. It reinforces the government’s adoption of repressive measures that threaten the healthy functioning of democracy. Keywords: Civil Disobedience, Climate Protest, Framing, Democracy, Germany, United Kingdom