SODAS Lecture: Studying Climate Activism to Understand How We Can Save Ourselves

Title:

Studying Climate Activism to Understand How We Can Save Ourselves.

Abstract:

How can we study social movements as they are happening to understand their likely trajectory and outcomes?  In this talk, I will present my ongoing research studying climate activism, which builds on data collected through open-ended semi-structured interviews, along with survey data collected from activists and civil society groups. I will present findings from analyses of these data and discuss how it informs us about the future of the climate movement and environmental democracy more broadly.   

Bio:

Dana R. Fisher is the Director of the Center for Environment, Community, & Equity (CECE) and a Professor in the School of International Service at American University. She has published six books and over 75 peer-reviewed articles.  Her seventh book, Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action is coming out in early 2024.  Fisher is a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Governance Studies program at The Brookings Institution, the President of the Eastern Sociological Society, and the chair-elect of the Political Sociology section of the American Sociological Association. She served as a Contributing Author for Working Group 3 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Review (IPCC AR6) writing about citizen engagement and civic activism. Her media appearances include ABC, CNN, MSNBC, PBS Newshour, and various programs on NPR, BBC, and CBC. Her words have appeared in the popular media, including in the Washington Post, Slate, TIME Magazine, Politico, the Nation, and the American Prospect.  Fisher holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science degree from the Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her undergraduate degree is in East Asian Studies and Environmental Studies from Princeton University.