Tracing the Emergent Field of Digital Environmental and Climate Activism Research: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Following Fridays for Future’s transnational mobilization, research into digital environmental and climate activism has rapidly grown. We contribute to the solidification of this emerging field through a mixed-methods systematic literature review. We quantitatively analyze 138 peer-reviewed articles regarding their theories, methodologies, and empirical focus. To identify research trajectories and emerging fields of interest, we add an in-depth qualitative analysis of influential publications. Research interest has grown rapidly and shifted from various areas of environmental grievance towards climate change as the primary focus. The field is driven by theories of framing, connective action, and (in)visibility. It is methodologically diverse, but geographically biased towards the West. Popular approaches include ethnographic case studies and Twitter studies, while other platforms receive limited attention. We diagnose a need for more comparative and relational approaches going beyond individual cases, countries, and platforms.