No to coal yes to god: a case study on Our Lady of the Angels Parish and the anti-coal movement in Atimonan, Quezon.

Abstract

This case study presents the context of religious role in social movement and how the Church affects and influences people to mobilize. I used Anthony Giddens’ theory of structuration to explain further the relationship of human agency to social structures. It is incorporated to William Sewell’s social structure elements – schemata and resources. Through data gathering, interviews and observation analysis, I confirmed that the Catholic Church has a strong and powerful influence on policy and social matters because it enabled its constituents to participate in social & political issues specifically in the environment. Phenomenology also was used as a result of the awareness and exchange of thoughts, ideas, beliefs --- schemata and resources --- between Environmental and Religious structure that led to the mobilization of the Anti-Coal Movement.