Investigating and Identifying the Dimensions and Components of Human Connection with Environmental Damage

The present article investigates and identifies the dimensions and components of human connection with environmental damage among environmental activists.

The method used was Strauss and Corbin's (contextual) data theory model. This research is a qualitative research that was conducted with theoretical sampling method and theoretical saturation technique. The research sample was 42 environmental activists from Baneh and Marivan cities, who were selected using a non-random sampling technique. Research data has been collected through semi-structured interviews.

The obtained results show that the totality of causal conditions (social and cultural factors (education, feeling insecure about pollution, nationalist identity), economic factors (income, fear of job future), political factors (environment as political identity) acceptability/unacceptability of the political system) and background conditions (environmental activity as a religious and health matter, the harmfulness of environmental pollution for the body, the realization of health in nature, the destruction of the environment causing pollution of food and the environment as an economy) and intervening factors (Environmental biology as belonging to language, ethnic and urban identity) has made environment as a social issue.

environmental activists use environmental problems as strategies of resistance, criticism of the government's systemic and institutional decisions, freedom from the domination of power, a kind of help to development-based programs and policies. In the end, the problematic consequences of the environment cause attention to economic inequalities, problematization of income reduction, raising awareness, becoming one-sided (excessive importance to the environment) and creating a space for criticism.