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In Globalia and Le Parfum d’Adam J.-C. Rufin explores what could go wrong with the environmentalist movement, if it were co-opted by unwise or greedy leaders. Globalia is the sole country in a dystopian world governed according to the principles of deep ecology: vegetarianism, strict protection of forests and animals, and zero population growth. It is a sterile, climate-controlled world, covered by domes. “Non-zones” outside the domes are homes to mobsters, warring tribes, and resistants. They constitute a feared outside enemy which serves to unite most Globalians in support of their totalitarian government. This novel echoes Alexis de Tocqueville’s fear that a “tyranny of the majority” might someday rule the United States. Le Parfum d’Adam is a thriller about ecoterrorists who, obsessed by the deep ecology principle that world population must decrease, plot to contaminate the water system of a huge favela of Rio de Janeiro. They believe that poor people—too busy surviving to think about ecology—are destroying the planet.

This chapter discusses Night Moves as a political thriller about ecoterrorism, and focuses on Riechardt’s adjustments in form, style, and content as compared with her prior body of work. While on the surface, Night Moves appears to have more commercial intentions, it is an overt challenge to cinematic commercialisation. Although the thriller genre promises sex, action, and special effects, Night Moves, in true independent cinematic fashion, never shows these events on screen. Night Moves invites ethical questions through the ecoterrorist actions of the protagonists and the gender commentary supplied through the sparse dialogue and character interactions. Through interviews with Reichardt and her cast and crew the chapter covers production methods and makes connections with contemporary environmental activist groups, such as the Earth Liberation Front, the Occupy Wall Street movement and to terrorist acts such as the Oklahoma City bombing.

I lay out the practical and conceptual basis for the book, explaining the concept of total liberation and how it became the framework for radical activists responding to ecological crises, reacting to the timidity of mainstream movements, and drawing inspiration from historical movements for social justice.

This chapter explores the biographies of individual activists to demonstrate how they got started, how they became radicalized, and why they joined movements committed to radical change. I then consider the biography of the movement itself and reveal how animal rights and environmental movements are more tightly linked than previously believed, and that these movements have historical and enduring connections to social justice movements in the U.S. and globally.

The focus of this chapter is the first dimension of total liberation: anti-oppression and justice for humans, nonhumans, and ecosystems. But first I consider why activists were motivated to embrace this framework to begin with. Many elitist, patriarchal, racist, and homophobic elements are quite strong in animal rights and environmental movements, even within the radical wings. One way that activists grapple with privilege and social justice politics is to work in solidarity and/or to declare their solidarity with communities on the front lines of environmental racism, assaults on indigenous sovereignty, homophobia, and patriarchy.

This chapter’s focus is on the second and third dimensions of the total liberation frame: anarchism and anti-capitalism. Drawing on wide ranging sources of evidence and interview data, I consider the history and evolution of these ideas in the development of radical environmental and animal liberation movements.

Direct action is a core part of radical environmental and animal rights movements’ tactical repertoire. Activists mobilize people to prevent institutional practices and policies they believe are harming humans, ecosystems, and nonhuman animals; and they support and engage in property destruction, sabotage, and personal confrontations with offending parties.

Radical earth and animal liberation movements have been the target of state repression. These measures generally include surveillance, infiltration, intimidation, and imprisonment—a range of practices that have become known as the Green Scare. The state regularly labels these activists and their ideas “eco-terrorist” threats. This chapter considers the origins and implications of state repression.

A considerable amount of movement energy is directed at providing political, legal, financial, material, and emotional support for those activists in prison or who are under pressure from the criminal justice system to share information on movement activities with authorities. This chapter charts the range of activities movements practice to support their colleagues on the wrong side of the law.

I consider the social, legal, and political implications of state repression not only for the radical earth and animal liberation movements, but also for freedom movements more generally. Finally, I suggest a number of philosophical, symbolic, and strategic points of intersection and possible collaboration between radical ecology movements and movements for social and environmental justice.