The construction of a hegemonic social representation : climate crisis and the role of COVID-19 in defining survival

Magioglou, T and Coen, S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4632-1929 2021, 'The construction of a hegemonic social representation : climate crisis and the role of COVID-19 in defining survival' , European Psychologist . (In Press)

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Abstract

The present paper discusses how Climate Change and the COVID-19 pandemic can be read as two facets of a Hegemonic Social Representation under construction, the representation of Survival, reshaping other hegemonic, socially shared representations in the Western culture such as Science, Politics/Democcracy and Nature, on an unprecedented scale. A Hegemonic Social Representation is proposed in this paper as a useful tool to conceptualise major changes in social thinking, at the interface of individual and collective dynamics. A Hegemonic Social Representation is defined as the cristallisation of a meaning-complex on what is valuable and vital for a community, generating competing social identities, practices and social policies. The paper revisits the concept initiated by Moscovici and focuses on the role of competing groups, generating opposing perspectives. We argue that at this crucial point, a close attention to the way in which meaning is negotiated across a series of key elements of the Hegemonic Social representation of Survival will help better informing communication and action concerning Climate Change.

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