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Mobilizing in the Vernacular: Environmentalists and Federal Institutional Change in Belgium and Germany
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 August 2013
Abstract
Abstract. This article proposes the nexus between social movements, interest groups and citizen initiatives, on the one hand, and federalism, on the other, as the key to unlock a theory of gradual institutional change. The empirical context is the pattern of mobilization of Belgian and German environmentalists. In time, subnational jurisdiction over environment in Germany gave way to a nationwide one, while national policy in Belgium was devolved to the subnational level. Evidence shows that, in addition to direct institutional opportunities and constraints external to interest groups, a key internal factor—language—indirectly influenced the level mobilization in the long run. United by a common language, various German environmentalist groups gravitated towards a nationwide frame of reference, in due course bringing about institutional changes towards nationwide policies. In Belgium, divisions between Flemings and Francophones brought institutional change in the opposite direction.
Résumé. Cet article propose de mettre en relation d'une part mouvements sociaux, groupes d'intérêt et initiatives citoyennes, et d'autre part la réflexion sur le fédéralisme comme clé pour formuler une théorie du changement institutionnel graduel. Le contexte empirique de l'article est le modèle de mobilisation des mouvements écologistes belges et allemands. Avec le temps, en Allemagne, la compétence sous-nationale sur l'environnement a fait place à l'échelon national, alors que la politique nationale en Belgique a été transférée au niveau sous-national. L'analyse montre qu'outre les opportunités institutionnelles et les contraires extérieurs aux groupes d'intérêt, un facteur-clé interne – la langue – a indirectement influencé le niveau de mobilisation sur le long terme. Unis par une langue commune, divers groupes écologistes allemands ont évolué vers un cadre national de référence, apportant en temps voulu des changements institutionnels à l'égard des politiques à l'échelle nationale. En Belgique, les divisions entre Flamands et Francophones ont mené les changements institutionnels dans la direction opposée.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique , Volume 46 , Issue 2 , June 2013 , pp. 345 - 367
- Copyright
- Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association 2013
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