Surfing communities and their potential for grassroots evnironmentalism : A comparison of Ukraine and Germany

Abstract: This research paper aims to study the lack of local grassroots initiatives in surfing communities by comparing Ukrainian and German contexts. Hence, a qualitative and inductive approach is used. The scope of the research question is explored, by analysing the effects of individual motivators and societal factors needed for GRI formation in active and connected surfing communities. It is further analysed how these motivators are developed and influenced in Germany and Ukraine taking the theories of ecopsychology, social learning and social capital as the framework and analytical lens. Key findings highlight a certain degree of potential for Ukrainian GRIs in surfing communities, while an intense amount of limiting factors is found. Moreover, the chosen comparative context of Ukraine and Germany reveals relevant findings from the collected data, that reveals a low level of trust towards the governments and a low self-efficacy level in Ukraine, while a high level of trust and high self-efficacy was observed in Germany. The research provides relevant insights about the increasing popularity of surfing as a sport, niche, and potential social movement towards environmental activism and sustainable development. Key words: grassroots initiatives, GRIs, environmental activism, environmentalism, surfing movements, surfing communities, ecopsychology, social learning, social capital, Ukraine, Germany, EU.