The organization of Taiwan's environmental movements: Analysis of leadership, consciousness, and strategies

By conducting survey and in-depth interviews of selected cases of Taiwan's environmental groups, this study examines the social backgrounds of group leadership, on the one hand, and the movement organizations and strategies utilized in the formation of environmental movement activities, on the other. This study proposes that a particular segment of the middle class, with its distinctive consciousness and relative autonomy in the production process, takes the lead in Taiwan's environmental movements, including the organization of different types of environmental groups and the initiation of various movement strategies. This study also suggests that the dynamics of "the triangular relationship" (i.e., the relationship between the upper class, the alliance of the middle and lower classes, and local government) found in local politics has a decisive impact on the development of "community autonomy" and subsequently has a great influence on Taiwan's environmental movements.