Having explored in Part II what it means to do activism and the complexities involved, Part III focuses on what it means to be an activist. It considers the ways in which the activist identity is constructed and upheld within the local anti-austerity activist culture and uncovers its problematic, damaging consequences, illuminating what I have called ‘the dark side’ of activist culture. Chapter 6 explores the two main constructions of ‘activist’; the ‘authentic’ and ‘ideal’ activist. Chapter 7 uncovers the negative aspects of activist culture, and particularly the gendered dimension of the ideal activist identity and its damaging emotional effects.