Ambientalismo y sociedad civil en la frontera México- Estados Unidos

A interpretive model of the dynamics shown by the environmentalist groups along the Mexico-United States border is proposed in this essay. Inspired by contemporary theories of social movements and civil society, this model rescues key dimensions of the concept of citizenry considered essential to analyze the progress and limitations of this movement as a catalyst for the participation of citizens who defend the environment. Since the border environmentalist movement includes a great variety de groups, we propose that their activities follow two main directions. The first is aimed at directly influencing the formulation of the environmental policy, and the second is aimed at promoting the participation of citizens as a civic-minded commitment in itself. Seven dimensions are identified in which environmentalists can contribute to strengthening civil society: knowledge of the problem, association principle, direction of individual actions, respect for the community, commitment to the community, institutional social bonds, relation to power structures, and kind of individualism. This works concludes by pointing out the importance of environmentalists avoiding the formation of factions and the appropiation of benefits resulting from colective action in order to strengthen the civil society