Caught between reformist visions and planetary realities: Socialization discourses and the (counter-)hegemonic positions of labor unions and environmental NGOs in the German energy sector

Sammanfattning

Demands for socialization understood as the collective, democratically governed ownership of essential goods, are growing louder in Germany’s energy sector. This thesis critically examines how German labor unions and environmental NGOs articulate the concept of socialization within the energy sector, using Antonio Gramsci’s cultural hegemony and Nancy Fraser’s progressive neoliberalism as theoretical lenses. Through a qualitative critical discourse analysis of semi-structured interviews with four major labor unions and four environmental NGOs, the study reveals that both actor groups agree on more democratization and an orientation toward the common good, two central elements of the concept. However, ownership transformation is neither seen as beneficial nor feasible. Neither group articulates a coherent counter-hegemonic stance, instead adapting to neoliberal frameworks through progressive policy proposals and local democratic experiments. These findings underscore the persistence of neoliberal hegemony in shaping energy discourses and highlight the critical need to rethink ownership structures and power relations to advance transformative socialization agendas.