The Network Structure of Environmental Justice Social Movements: A Case Study in the California Delta

An environmental justice (EJ) movement involves groups collectively organizing to mobilize resources and participate in the policy process to address disproportionate environmental burdens. Networks of relationships among EJ groups and their partners shape the effectiveness of an EJ movement to influence policy and decision-making. Drawing from the social movement literature, we examined why EJ groups build intentional partnerships on the basis of exchanging resources and working with groups that share similar missions. Examining data from 21 EJ groups in the California Delta, we find evidence of both homophily and heterophily in shaping relationships. EJ groups are drawn to partners with shared priorities and geographic proximity, while also seeking the benefits of partnering with more popular, or brokering, organizations that connect them to a broader network. This suggests that EJ social movements feature a mixture of bridging and bonding social capital, providing different types of benefits for supporting collective action.