"Ecostrategies" and Environmentalism-The Case of Outdoor Life and Friluftsliv: A research approach and some preliminary resulls from a case study of the Swedish Scout and Guide Association (and its predecessors) during the 20th century

• Published in: Geografiska annaler. Series B, Human geography Human geography, 1991-08, Vol.73 (2), p.133-141
• Main Author: Sandell, Klas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0435-3684; 1468-0467
• DOI: 10.1080/04353684.1991.11879619

In the endeavour to achieve a more sustainable society, the shaping of environmental attitudes and behaviour among youth must be considered of utmost importance. Therefore this article outlines a research project studying outdoor-oriented organizations in Sweden during the 20th century. The conceptual framework of "ecostrategies" is used for discussing views and practices with regard to the utilization of nature (i.e., domination of nature vs. active and passive adaptation to nature). The Nordic tradition of friluftsliv (open-air life) and allemansrätt (everyone's right of access to the countryside within certain restrictions) is an important framework, both when discussing outdoor life organizations of external origin and when discussing future prospects of outdoor life. So far a brief study of the Swedish Scout and Guide Association (and its predecessors) has been carried out which indicates that the Scouts have been lagging behind the public environmental debate. Reasons for this lack of manifest causality between outdoor life and environmental engagement are discussed, and further studies outlined.