Canadian Sociological Association (CSA) Conference - Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences Congress 2025 - Part 1

This year’s Federation of Social Sciences and Humanities Congress 2025 was an inspiring convergence of scholars, researchers, and thought leaders committed to advancing knowledge and societal change. With nearly 50 associated conferences and over 7,000 registrants, Congress served as an intellectual hub fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on pressing issues.

Within this expansive event, the Canadian Sociological Association (CSA) Conference welcomed over 1000 participants, embracing the theme “Committing Sociology for Social Impact” and challenging participants to consider how sociological research can shape policies, institutions, and grassroots movements for a more just and sustainable world. Hosted by George Brown College, the CSA Conference took place in three buildings on the Waterfront Campus, sharing the space with a number of other conferences, such as the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE) and Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA).

I had the privilege of presenting as part of the Environmental Sociology Research Cluster, where scholars engage with ecological issues through sociological perspectives. My paper, "From Grassroots to Global: The Global Greens' Approach to Cooperative Politics", explored the ways in which grassroots political environmental movements can influence global policy frameworks through cooperative, democratic engagement.

The CSA’s theme this year resonated deeply with the work of environmental sociologists, who analyze how social structures interact with ecological realities. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion accelerate, sociological perspectives on environmental governance are more critical than ever. The Environmental Sociology Research Cluster fosters dialogue on these challenges, encouraging interdisciplinary approaches and action-oriented research.

Full Program

Derek Wall’s Cooperative Politics: A Guiding Debate

Derek Wall’s work on cooperative politics provided the animating debate for my paper. His emphasis on collective decision-making, direct democracy, and mutual aid within ecological movements offers a radical departure from conventional party structures. The Global Greens, while engaging with formal political institutions, adopt many principles of cooperative politics—blending activism with policymaking to advance environmental and social justice. The tension between maintaining grassroots autonomy and functioning within established institutional frameworks remains a crucial area of inquiry.

Theoretical Foundations: Governmentality and Institutional Theory

In analyzing The Global Greens, I applied Michel Foucault’s concept of governmentality, which examines how power is exercised through governance practices beyond formal state institutions. The Global Greens’ cooperative model challenges traditional top-down authority by fostering decentralized, participatory decision-making processes, positioning local activism as a critical force in shaping global environmental governance.

Additionally, I used Jakobs' version of institutional theory, particularly the concept of isomorphism, to understand how environmental movements and political organizations evolve to resemble each other due to normative, mimetic, and coercive pressures. While cooperative political movements often aim to disrupt dominant governance models, they must navigate existing institutional landscapes and pressures that shape their strategies.

Concluding Thoughts

To illustrate the tension between grassroots movements and electoral realities, I analyzed the results of recent elections in Germany, Canada, and Australia, where Green parties faced significant setbacks. Rather than demonstrating growing political influence, these elections underscored the systemic barriers facing environmentally driven political movements.

The widespread decline of Green representation highlighted the limitations of First Past the Post electoral systems, revealing the difficulty of advancing environmental priorities within traditional governance structures. My analysis demonstrated the urgent need for proportional representation, a system that could better reflect the will of voters and ensure that sustainability and climate-focused policies receive adequate attention in national legislatures and global negotiations. Without electoral reforms, green movements risk being sidelined, despite strong grassroots support and the pressing need for climate action.