A comparative analysis of the anti-Apartheid and fossil fuel divestment campaigns

Divestment from the fossil fuel industry is campaigned as a means to address carbon-induced anthropogenic climate change, much like the anti-Apartheid divestment movement that was campaigned as a mean to address the country’s human rights violations. However, there is a gap in current literature that objectively compares the similarities and differences between the two campaigns. Discrepancies may arise from an evolving understanding of what constitutes a socially responsible investment or the underlying strategy and intended outcomes of the campaigns themselves. Through a comparative content analysis this paper identifies differences and similarities of both campaigns.