Envisioning climate change (2019–2022) is a postdoctoral research project which analyzes and develops theoretical understandings of visual traces of climate change from media users’ perspectives. The meaning of climate change as an ecological problem and societal problem is constructed in large part through media representations and images in particular. Through studying and developing practices of visualization, the project illuminates how people’s individual experiences and practices are connected to such broad societal challenges as climate change.
The project has two objectives: 1) To investigate how climate change is connected to media users’ life worlds and everyday practices through images. 2) To develop new ways to visualize climate change emotions. The project studies Instagram images as well as photography created through participatory research approaches. The project will produce both academic research articles and photographic projects based on research findings. Thus, the aim is at renewing both science communication in general and specifically the visual communication of climate change.
The project co-operates with environmental organizations in Finland, photographers, visual researchers and climate change in Finland and abroad, environmental social media influencers and news organizations’ visual editors in Finland.
Persons involved:
Niina Uusitalo
Postdoctoral Researcher
Tampere University
niina.uusitalo [at] tuni.fi
Funding: Kone Foundation
Duration of the project: 2019-2022