preprints.org > social sciences > sociology > doi: 10.20944/preprints202405.0650.v1

Preprint Essay Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 9 May 2024 / Approved: 10 May 2024 / Online: 10 May 2024 (11:50:27 CEST)

This concept paper explores possible collective identities for a future wildland fire workforce. Taking inspiration from the work of futurists who foresee an end to the dominant fire exclusion/suppression paradigm, and assuming an emerging fire restoration/resilience paradigm shift replaces it, the paper engages in speculative explorations of the process and product of this paradigm shift on future collective identities for a workforce doing ecological fire management. Social constructionist assumptions from symbolic interactionist sociological theory, Gramscian political theory's concept of hegemony, and New-Social-Movement theory's concept of collective identity all provide the intellectual foundations for the discussion. This concept paper argues that in order to actualize a paradigm shift, more than advances in scientific research or reforms of government policies will be required--the wildland fire community will need to become (or join) a social movement engaged in collective actions. An imaginary social movement, the "Greenfire revolution," is invented to help illustrate how the selected theories and concepts might apply in the social construction of ecological fire management and the collective identities of its future workforce.

new social movement theory; collective identity; wildland fire management; paradigm shift

Social Sciences, Sociology

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