CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2023
| Author | Ott, Gabor |
|---|---|
| Title | Framing the Environment in a Changing Political Landscape: How Hungarian ENGOs Adapt to a Hybrid Regime |
| Summary | In 2023 Hungary’s political climate can be characterized by a polarized media landscape and public agenda, fractured environmentalism, and a hostile environment for civil society. This research focuses on how prestigious Hungarian environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) are affected by the political landscape of a hybrid regime. The analysis of how organizations conceptualize and frame their work showed that, above all else, organizations frame themselves as “politically independent” in the context of the autocratization of the regime. This means keeping the distance from party politics and positioning themselves as “experts”, even if this could hinder building stronger ties with the public. Their framing is heavily contested by accusations of political partiality by the regime and the profoundly polarized public. While the organizations’ reliance on international opportunities strengthened in this challenging situation, cooperation with the Hungarian political regime seems to be their most favorable goal. This finding fits the tradition of transactional activism and the trend of NGO professionalization. The research even highlights the emergence of a new generation of regime-friendly environmental organizations. Thus Hungary brings a strong case for how closing space of civil society can motivate civil organizations to step further away from politics and seek cooperation with the regime simultaneously. |
| Supervisor | Steger, Tamara |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2023/ott_gabor.pdf |
Visit the CEU Library.
© 2007-2021, Central European University