scholarly journals How Do Young People Deal with Border Tensions When Making Climate-Friendly Food Choices? On the Importance of Critical Emotional Awareness for Learning for Social Change

Climate ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Maria Ojala
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Structural Change ◽  
Young People ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Transformational Learning ◽  
Emotional Awareness ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Prefigurative Politics

If we are going to be able to fight climate change in an effective way there is a need for a profound sustainability transformation of society. The question is how everyday pro-environmental behavior such as climate-friendly food choices should be looked upon in this context: as something that hides the need for structural change, or as a starting point for a profound transformation? The aim is to discuss how emotions related to conflicts encountered when trying to make everyday climate-friendly food choices in a society that is not always sustainable can be used to promote transformational learning. Interviews were performed with 15 adolescents. Emotions felt in relation to conflicts and how the youth cope were explored. The results show that the youth mainly felt individualized emotions of guilt, helplessness, and irritation and that they coped primarily by distancing themselves from emotions felt, but also sometimes in a problem-focused way and through positive reappraisal. Results are discussed in relation to theories about critical emotional awareness and prefigurative politics. It is argued that by taking account of emotional aspects related to everyday conflicts in a critical manner, issues such as justice could be brought to the surface and transformative learning could be enhanced.

scholarly journals ART FOR CHANGE: Transformative learning and youth empowerment in a changing climate

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Bentz ◽  
Karen O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Young People ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Instrumental Learning ◽  
Changing Climate ◽  
Climate Change Responses ◽  
Opening Up

Young people represent a powerful force for social change, and they have an important role to play in climate change responses. However, empowering young people to be “systems changers” is not straightforward. It is particularly challenging within educational systems that prioritize instrumental learning over critical thinking and creative actions. History has shown that by creating novel spaces for reflexivity and experimentation, the arts have played a role in shifting mindsets and opening up new political horizons. In this paper, we explore the role of art as a driver for societal transformation in a changing climate and consider how an experiment with change can facilitate reflection on relationships between individual change and systems change. Following a review of the literature on transformations, transformative learning and the role of art, we describe an experiment with change carried out with students at an Art High School in Lisbon, Portugal, which involved choosing one sustainable behavior and adopting it for 30 days. A transformative program encouraged regular reflection and group discussions. During the experiment, students started developing an art project about his or her experience with change. The results show that a transformative learning approach that engages students with art can support critical thinking and climate change awareness, new perspectives and a sense of empowerment. Experiential, arts-based approaches also have the potential to create direct and indirect effects beyond the involved participants. We conclude that climate-related art projects can serve as more than a form of science communication. They represent a process of opening up imaginative spaces where audiences can move more freely and reconsider the role of humans as responsible beings with agency and a stake in sustainability transformations.

scholarly journals Hope and Worry: Gendered Emotional Geographies of Climate Change in Three Vulnerable U.S. Communities

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-297
Author(s):  
Margaret V. du Bray ◽  
Amber Wutich ◽  
Alexandra Brewis
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Emotional Awareness ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Entry Point ◽  
Vulnerable Communities ◽  
Survey Questions ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Emotional Geographies ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change

Abstract Climate scientists have proposed that many people have not yet felt the results of climate change. This explains, at least in part, why some people are so unmotivated to make changes to mitigate climate change. Yet, a range of studies focused on other types of weather-related anticipated and experienced disasters, such as drought, clearly demonstrate that climate-related phenomena can elicit strong emotional reactions. Using a combination of open-ended interview questions and close-ended survey questions, the authors conducted semistructured interviews in three biophysically vulnerable communities (Mobile, Alabama; Kodiak, Alaska; and Phoenix, Arizona). The relatively high number of respondents who expressed sadness and worry at the possible outcomes of climate change indicates emotional awareness, even among climate change skeptics. The patterns were significantly gendered, with men across the three sites less likely to indicate hope. Results suggest that emotional aspects of climate change might provide an entry point for rallying vulnerable U.S. communities to consider mitigation efforts.

scholarly journals Place and transformative learning in climate change focused community science

FACETS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1773-1794
Author(s):  
Mark Groulx ◽  
Amanda Winegardner ◽  
Marie Claire Brisbois ◽  
Lee Ann Fishback ◽  
Rachelle Linde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Transformative Capacity ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Community Science

Community science involves the co-creation of scientific pursuits, learning, and outcomes and is presented as a transformative practice for community engagement and environmental governance. Emphasizing critical reflection, this study adopts Mezirow’s conception of transformative learning to theorize the transformative capacity of community science. Findings from interviews with participants in a community science program reveal critical reflection, although instances acknowledging attitudes and beliefs without challenging personal assumptions were more common. Program elements most likely to prompt participants to identify beliefs, values, and assumptions include data collection and interaction in team dynamics, whereas data collection in a novel environment was most likely to prompt participants to challenge their beliefs, values, and assumptions. A review of 71 climate change focused programs further demonstrates the extent that program designs support transformative learning. Key features of the community science landscape like the broad inclusion of stated learning objectives offer a constructive starting point for deepening transformative capacity, while the dominance of contributory program designs stands as a likely roadblock. Overall, this study contributes by applying a developed field to theorize transformation in relation to community science and by highlighting where facilitators should focus program design efforts to better promote transformation toward environmental sustainability.

Reverse Transcribing Climate Change

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Solnick
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Information Theory ◽  
Climate Modelling ◽  
Economic Issues ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Scientific Competence

This paper suggests that certain conceptual, ethical and economic issues surrounding genetics are also relevant to the challenges that climate change poses to the humanities. It takes J.H. Prynne's and Derrida's engagements with biology and information theory as a starting point to address climate modelling, emissions management, biofuels, bioengineering and the importance of scientific competence.

YOUTH EXPECTATIONS OF SMART CITY LIVING: AN IMPORTANCE- PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF YOUNG RESIDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES OF CITY GOVERNMENT

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-128
Author(s):  
Jason Cohen ◽  
Judy Backhouse ◽  
Omar Ally
Keyword(s):  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Young People ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
City Government ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
City Management ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The City

Young people are important to cities, bringing skills and energy and contributing to economic activity. New technologies have led to the idea of a smart city as a framework for city management. Smart cities are developed from the top-down through government programmes, but also from the bottom-up by residents as technologies facilitate participation in developing new forms of city services. Young people are uniquely positioned to contribute to bottom-up smart city projects. Few diagnostic tools exist to guide city authorities on how to prioritise city service provision. A starting point is to understand how the youth value city services. This study surveys young people in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, and conducts an importance-performance analysis to identify which city services are well regarded and where the city should focus efforts and resources. The results show that Smart city initiatives that would most increase the satisfaction of youths in Braamfontein  include wireless connectivity, tools to track public transport  and  information  on city events. These  results  identify  city services that are valued by young people, highlighting services that young people could participate in providing. The importance-performance analysis can assist the city to direct effort and scarce resources effectively.

Transformative learning in resilient VACB model adapting to climate change in Phong Dien district, Can Tho city

2019 ◽  
Vol Vol.11(2) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Tham, T.C. ◽  
Ho, H.T.T. ◽  
Nhuong, L.V. ◽  
Hieu, L.V. ◽  
Quang, N.M. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Can Tho City

scholarly journals The travel behaviour intentions of young people in the context of climate change

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilly Line ◽  
Kiron Chatterjee ◽  
Glenn Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Young People ◽  
Travel Behaviour

scholarly journals The role of youth in the climate change debate

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Van Den Hazel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Young People ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Sustainable Lifestyles ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
Indirect Impacts ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Abstract The impacts of climate change are not distributed equally. Some people will experience natural disasters first hand, some will be affected more gradually over time, and some will experience only indirect impacts. There are data from the United nations that show the interest of youth on climate change. Close to half a million youth around the world have taken action on climate change through SGP [small grants programmes] projects in their homes, schools and communities. (UNDP, 2015). 84% of the surveyed young people agree that they need more information to prevent climate change. (UNEP, 2011). Furthermore, about 73% of surveyed youth say they currently feel the effects climate change. (UNEP, GlobeScan Survey, 2008). Some 89% of youth respondents say young people can make a difference on climate change. [UNEP, 2008]. But only 9% of youth are very confident the world will act quickly enough to address climate change. [UNEP, 2008]. Young people are key actors in raising awareness, running educational programmes, promoting sustainable lifestyles, conserving nature, supporting renewable energy, adopting environmentally-friendly practices and implementing adaptation and mitigation projects[UNFCCC]. Action by youth, as protest school strikes or speeches to the UN by Greta Thunberg, urge immediate action from governments, business leaders and school leaders. There are different reasons for this action by youth. The psycho-social impacts of a changing climate are generally under lighted in these reasons. Are the responses by society enough to minimize suffering and promote resilience of youth in the face of the challenging impacts of climate change? Or do governments and businesses enough while they increasingly seem to be moving toward action on climate change, as they proclaim to cut their own emissions or be active in their energy transition? It is not clear whether those actions are enough to satisfy the next generation of customers, employees and decision makers.

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