Hi folks,
Before we get started this week, we wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to Jess Search who died this week. As co-founder of Doc Society, she pioneered the field of working with narrative to build a better world. We are so grateful for Jess’s work and life. To get a sense of her courage and vision read No Time Like the Present, the email in which she revealed both her diagnosis and plans for the work moving forward.
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This week we’re sharing a recording of last week’s Public Session, focused on the role of enemies in climate narratives, along with a few useful guides for responding to this narrative moment in the UK. This includes a focus on antiracism, and reflections on what is really required to tackle systemic, structural injustices.
Please note that our next Community Session will be held in September, more details to follow soon. Do let us know if you’d like to share work there: inter-narratives@greenfunders.org
Shared with love, in solidarity.
Session
Thanks to all who came to our first public session last week!
You can see the recording below, and also on our website.
Adam’s reflection on the event, as curator:
“The discussion seemed to tap into something on a lot of people's minds: when to call out the institutions and individuals consciously blocking climate action, and when to build bridges with constituencies and communities who are 'persuadable' but not yet persuaded on the green transition. As well as the debate on when (and how) to name 'enemies' in climate narratives, we also heard how one group - UK farmers - sometimes experienced being 'othered' in campaign and media narratives around decarbonising the food system. Its hard to land on a simple takeaway from such a rich session, but whilst there's clearly no justification for backing away from 'naming' the institutions who are standing in the way of decarbonisation, its also crucial to avoid inadvertently 'blaming' the people who don't yet feel part of the transition.”
Shares
Key: ⚙️ Tool | 📝 Article | 🎙️ Podcast | 🎬 Video
Messaging guide: Connecting the Climate & Cost of Living Crises
Messaging This Moment, Heard et al.
Re-upping this research from last year as the guidance is very relevant to this government’s latest energy strategy announcements re: oil and gas licenses etc. Crucially the research shows that it is unhelpful to even engage with the idea of ‘trade-offs’, even if we intend to debunk and discredit. Evidence suggests we’ll be more effective if we root our messages in shared values, which this guide offers an example of.
#messaging #framing #issuenarrative
⚙️ Read here
Messaging guide: How to talk about public services
NEON, The Social Guarantee
“Without well funded healthcare, water, energy, care, education, transport, our economy can't function. This guide will help you advocate for the services we all rely on. We will be co-hosting a session about how to best campaign for public services in a moment of interlocking crises.” (Thanks for sharing Funmibi Ogunlesi)
#messaging #framing #issuenarrative
⚙️ See here
Messaging Guide: Contains Strong Language
Reframing Race
“How can we speak clearly and powerfully about racism? What language moves a mainstream audience towards an anti-racist cause? Which words should we be avoiding? How do we explain structural racism? Answers to these questions and more can be found in Contains Strong Language, released in July 2023 by communications research initiative Reframing Race. The guidance draws on original, groundbreaking qualitative and quantitative (20,000+) studies to equip campaigners and advocates with effective ways of talking about race and racism. Our evidence shows that new ways of talking can lead to new ways of listening.”
#messaging #framing #issuenarrative
⚙️ Read here
There are two kinds of antiracism. Only one works, and it has nothing to do with ‘diversity training.’
Arun Kundnani
On the difference between “liberal” and “radical” antiracist traditions, the danger of limiting our focus to “beliefs and attitudes”, and the need for active approaches to achieving real structural change. Which means “working collectively to dismantle racist infrastructures…organising in the community…taking direct action…confronting corporations…build(ing) an economy of care, not killing – uplifting all working classes of whatever colour.”
#narrativestrategy #tactics
Climate Science and Jungian Analysis
Dr Jeffrey Kiehl, The Sustainability Agenda
On “why it is important to understand ways of thinking that are not purely rational, that are imagistic—based on a deeper understanding of the unconscious”, suggesting that “we are out of balance within our own psyches, within our relationship with nature” and that this imbalance is manifesting climate change. Includes a discussion of ‘cultural complexes’, “the power of the feminine perspective” and the “inevitability of new myths”.
#deepnarratives
🎙️ Listen here
Non-Violence in the face of Violence
Rose Abramoff, Planet: Critical
“We live in a violent world, one in which profiteering infrastructure kills millions, threatens billions, and is tipping our planet over the edge. In the face of such violence, would sabotaging fossil fuel infrastructure really be an equivalent act of violence? Or would it be a necessary act of sabotage to protect life on earth?” A discussion on “how to view taking action as a science experiment, the different kinds of action around the world, and the ethics of property destruction.”
#tactics
🎙️ Listen here
People, Planet, and Performance: From the Global South to the World
Howlround Theatre Commons
“A Series from Africa on Climate Emergencies, Sustainability Practice in the Arts, and Planetary Crises…a broad-based interdisciplinary, intercultural, and cross-sectoral exploration of climate justice within the context of theatre and performance with a focus on the Global South. Guests range from theatremakers to climate change artivists/activists to scholars from the Global South sharing their perspectives on different topics within the broad theme of the series.”
#issuenarrative #stories
Events
We Will Dance With Mountains: Vunja
Dancing with Mountains | Application closes 25th August
“We Will Dance with Mountains is... a planetary gathering at edges; a strange hospitality in the fade of white stability; a subterranean upheaval; a course-festival; an expedition into the posthumanist cracks | that swirl with new response-abilities | and possibilities for becoming...” (Bayo Akomolefe, course host)
#deepnarratives
🗓️ Apply here
Building Our Narrative Power Course
PIRC | Application closes 4th September
“Are you a changemaker, a storyteller, or someone who’s looking to shift the way people think, feel, and act? Then we’d love to learn, grow, and build collective narrative power with you…supporting people who have lived experience of the issues they are working on, to skill-up and shape the narrative for justice and social change, to create waves of action and lasting progress.”
#narrativestrategy
🗓️ Apply here
Platforma Festival
Counterpoints Arts, Artreach | 23rd September – 31st October
“The Platforma festival is produced by Counterpoints Arts every two years in a different part of England, in partnership with a range of organisations, artists and venues across many different art forms. In autumn 2023 the 7th Platforma festival will take place across the South West, to showcase work, develop networks and capacity, and to share practice.”
#stories #tactics
Quotes
"You can never direct a living system. You can only disturb it.” – Centre For Ecoliteracy
“Don’t seek to replace people’s thoughts, seek to displace them.” – Loretta Ross
"It is difficult to speak of or to practice love, friendship, generosity, understanding, or solidarity within systems whose rules, goals, and information streams are geared for lesser human qualities. But we try and we urge you to try." – Donella Meadows
“They laugh ‘cause they know they’re untouchable/Not because what I said was wrong.” – Sinead O'Connor
"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." – Jude Mckechnie
Thanks for joining us, see you here again in two weeks.
A reminder that if you have something that you’d love to see in these newsletters, or work you’d like to share in the community sessions, or if you have any feedback, please reach out at inter-narratives@greenfunders.org
Very best,
Paddy & Ella