Professor Robin Boyle is a contributing author to the political science book, Generational Politics in the United States (Sally Friedman & David Schultz, eds.), which was published this month by the University of Michigan Press. Her chapter is titled, “The Times They are a Changin'”: Lessons Imparted from the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and the Current Day Climate Movement.

In the chapter, Professor Boyle compares and contrasts the Civil Rights Movement with the Climate Movement, populated by different generations. She observes:

“In contrast with the Baby Boomers in the former, the Millennials and Generation Z are the galvanizing, media-grabbing, activists for the Climate Movement. These generations have grown up in very different time periods, with the digital age affecting the younger generations. Although the Climate Movement has been in existence for many decades, it has risen to prominence only recently.  . . . The two movements share some common characteristics in how they have employed similar organizational tactics, yet they differ fundamentally on how their members interact with other members and with building coalitions of community support. These differences can be traced to generational distinctions due to acculturation. They differ in their respective approaches to organizing marches and rallying people to their causes.”

Professor Boyle was interviewed in a podcast about this chapter on Legal Tenzer: Casual Conversations on Newsworthy Legal Topics (January 24, 2023). She also presented the chapter at the Northeastern Political Science Association virtual conference (November 7, 2020).

Professor Boyle’s chapter continues from earlier research and publications. Her interest in generations grew from her empirical study about the Millennial generation in the context of learning styles, see Generation X in Law School: How These Law Students are Different from Those Who Teach Them, 56 J. Legal Educ. 281 (2006) (peer-reviewed) (co-authored with Dr. Joanne Ingham). Her interest in American social movements stems from her co-authored legislative and administrative history on the War on Poverty programs (published by Community Services Administration, 1981) (co-authored with Kathryn Lazar, Esq. & Laura Zeisel, Esq.).

Professor Boyle thanks Professor Cheryl Wade and Professor Renee Allen for their valuable comments on earlier drafts.