Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Due to the ratification of the Paris Agreement, Sweden has committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector with 70 % by the year 2030. One of the approaches to help reach that goal is to increase the tax price on fossil fuels, as an attempt to reduce fossil fuel consumption nationally. Similar fuel tax increases have met a lot of resistance globally, with the Yellow Vest movement in France as a close example. In Sweden, most of the resistance has appeared in Sweden's largest Facebook group Bensinupproret 2.0, with its, just over, 500 000 members. In this qualitative study, I have researched how the influence of increased fuel taxes could be understood and cognitively managed, by interviewing members of Bensinupproret 2.0. The focus in this study has been on aspects beyond purely economic concerns and has been conducted with key concepts drawn from Social Representation theory as well as Identity Process theory. It is found that perceived consequences of fuel taxes concerning both societal and personal issues could be looked upon as threatening towards individuals’ identities. These threats seem to enhance individual coping mechanisms, which could cause, and be the cause of, various perceptions and understandings of fuel taxes. These perceptions could consequently be causing, or at least enhancing, the need to join a community that is showing resistance against fuel taxes.