Farm workers and the structural basis of climate change perceptions

Authors

• Cody Mortell, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• Anna Erwin, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
• Zhao Ma, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• Dongkyu Kim, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
• Elizabeth Rodriquez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• Marla Perez-Lugo, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2026

Abstract

Farm workers are particularly vulnerable to climate change, especially from extreme heat; however, little is known about how they perceive this risk. This study examines climate change perceptions (CCP) among 404 farm workers surveyed in person in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas from April to May 2024. Guided by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice, we conducted a latent class analysis of economic, cultural, social, and symbolic capital indicators to identify distinct class profiles. We then assessed CCP by latent profile, using two primary outcome variables: (1) perceived temperature trends in the region (assessed alongside NOAA data) and (2) perceived seriousness of climate change as a personal threat. A third item, self-reported knowledge of climate change, was also included to assess general awareness and its potential influence on these perceptions. We identified three distinct class profiles based on their predicted probability of possessing capital indicators. While all profiles reported similar levels of climate knowledge, those with more resources were significantly more likely to recognize rising temperature trends and feel personally threatened by climate change. Interpreted through Bourdieu, these findings support that farm workers’ CCP are: not straightforward reflections of awareness; coconstituted with social position; and part of a logic of practice that reinforces social reproduction. In short, for farm workers in the most precarious positions, the tendency not to view climate change as a serious threat may reflect an internalization of environmental hardship as an inevitable part of daily life. We conclude by discussing implications for risk communication and adaptation.

Comments

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Recommended Citation

Mortell, Cody, Anna Erwin, Zhao Ma, Dongkyu Kim, Elizabeth Rodriquez, and Marla Perez-Lugo. 2026. “Farm Workers and the Structural Basis of Climate Change Perceptions.” Global Environmental Change 98: 103155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2026.103155.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Publication Title

Global Environmental Change

DOI

10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2026.103155