Abstract:
This dissertation focuses on a central question for six countries in Asia: what factors affect
environmentalism? Numerous studies have proposed mixed theoretical explanations for the
relationship between diverse values and beliefs regarding environmentalism. Although these
diverse studies propose theories for the fast-growing and multifaceted environmentalism in
Asia, here it is argued that the theories only partly explain environmentalism in Asia due to
lack of empirical studies of this region. Thus, it is questioned whether Asian countries
demonstrate the kinds and levels of environmentalism that would be expected according to
these theories.
Drawing upon the newest wave of the World Values Survey (WVS), this dissertation analyzes
environmentalism in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India, and Malaysia. It begins by
assessing descriptive features of environmental measurement among these countries' publics.
Using bivariate and OLS regression analysis, relationships between three sets of dependent
variables (environmental participation, local environmental concern, and global environmental
concern), and three sets of independent variables (postmaterial factors, cultural and
sociodemographic factors) are analyzed.
Analyses found that there are weak connections between postmaterialism and environmental
participation and environmental concern in these countries. In addition, the divisions between
local and global environmental concern were inconsistent. It was found that more affluent
countries had greater concern for global environmental problems, but it was not evident that
less affluent countries placed more weight on local environmental problems than on global
problems. The results contradict the major theories in environmentalism, and offer the view
that the conventional associations of environmental values and their influential factors may
not work the same way in Asian countries. In the end, it is proposed that environmentalism in
Asia did not originate from certain homogenized values; thus, further studies should focus on
addressing how multifaceted environmental values develop into a society's environmentalism.
