The experiences of nuclear peace activists
An investigation of the experiences of nine adult nuclear peace activists was conducted using unstructured interviews and qualitative analysis. The researcher explored why respondents became activists, what they thought and felt about the possibility of nuclear war and about themselves, and how they were sustained in their efforts. Results revealed that activism was associated with periods of flux in the activists' lives, when personal needs resonated with sociocultural conflict. Periods of change were more meaningful than periods of stasis. When personal or vocational conflict was intense, or when both were present, activism precipitated greater life change and was more centrally important. Sociocultural conflict was sufficient to stimulate activism only for those to whom this dimension of experience was highly meaningful, and resulting life changes were less dramatic. Activists were confident, inclusive, and tended to act in response to anxiety or conflict. They were concerned about the welfare of the disempowered, poor and oppressed, and disinterested in having power over others. Activists believed that nuclear weapons caused problems in the present, and it was these problems, rather than anticipated damage from nuclear war, that motivated them to activism. Their emotional responses to nuclear war were about present events, and their responses were characteristic of their emotional responses in general. Most activists were fearful of nuclear war when they first became active, but their fears diminished after they had been active for a period of time. Activists tended to interpret the nuclear problem and solution in terms of the issues that were already salient and meaningful to them. All the activists believed their efforts were effective in preventing nuclear war, and that nuclear war could be prevented. Activism was intrinsically valuable, apart from its success.
- Research Organization:
- New York Univ., NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6241177
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Three Problems: Nuclear Energy, National Defense and International Cooperation
Past Radioactive Particle Contamination in the Columbia River at the Hanford Site, USA