Climate Responsible Universities: Student-Led Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaigns

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University Initiatives on Climate Change Education and Research

Abstract

This chapter documents the rise of student-led fossil fuel divestment campaigns in universities around the world. Drawing on collective grievances and social justice claims, these student organizations, based on anti-apartheid movements of the 1980s, constitute the fastest-growing divestment movement in history with over 100 teaching institutions now pledging to withdraw financial ties to the hydrocarbon industry in some form. Based on first-person interviews with student leaders, this piece highlights the productive tensions between students and climate-responsible universities to embrace the Third Mission to benefit the broader social, political, and economic aspects of society by acknowledging environmental crises and changing economic priorities to reflect global responsibilities.

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Correspondence to Evan N. Shenkin .

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Shenkin, E.N., Sánchez, V.C., Greer, L. (2023). Climate Responsible Universities: Student-Led Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaigns. In: Leal Filho, W., Sima, M., Lange Salvia, A., Kovaleva, M., Manolas, E. (eds) University Initiatives on Climate Change Education and Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25960-9_31-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25960-9_31-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-25960-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-25960-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EducationReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Education

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