Your narrative and culture change roundup! 📢
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Ramadan Mubarak, Chag Pesach Sameach, Happy Easter to anyone celebrating, and to those who aren’t, Hello :)
A short(ish) newsletter from me this time around, as I’m just about to log off for a week in beautiful Bath, where I am planning to spend 50% of my time in bookshops and the other 50% in parks. My idea of heaven.
The next In Other Words might be a bit delayed, because of said holiday, and then the inevitable catch up on emails *eye roll*. If you read or listen to - or indeed, write yourself! - anything you think should be included in the next edition, do let me know.
Having written this newsletter for a few years now, I'm wondering about mixing up the format or adding in a new section or two. Any ideas of stuff you'd like to see included, or stuff you've liked from other newsletters that I could take inspiration from? Let me know by replying to this email.
Get those link-clicking fingers at the ready,
Ruth x
THE LINKS
Articles, reports & podcasts.
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‘Fields of Flowers’ by Peter Greenwood, as part of the Creatives for Ukraine project.
I never want to hear the word ‘overpopulation’ again A powerful twitter thread by Professor Farhana Sultana about racist narratives of ‘overpopulation’, and a great kick-up-the-ass reminder that a feminist lens enriches our collective response to climate change. [Twitter]
This Beautiful Moment: Our Latest Report on Impact Storytelling Erin Potts, Dom Lowell and Liz Manne have recently released a new report, which takes stock of the narrative and culture change sector in the US right now and provides some helpful recommendations on what could be done to further strengthen the field. If you’re based elsewhere in the world, it is still a hugely helpful read and I thoroughly recommend! [Medium]
How folk music became the genre of environmental protest One of the reasons I love folk music is the connection it encourages to nature. This great, short read delves into the rise of eco-folk. What would a project on narrative and folk music look like I wonder? [Prospect Magazine]
Analysis: How UK newspapers changed their minds about climate change This article lays out how attitudes to climate change have shifted in the UK press over the past decade. I found the analysis of the current dominant narratives, which have come to replace out-and-out denial, to be particularly interesting. My take away: everyone messaging on the climate (or anything for that matter!), need to stop invoking values and deep narratives of wealth when justifying climate action! [Carbon Brief]
We all have narrative power Megan Izen shares a story of narrative power in action, which took place in the back of a cab. [Narrative Initiative]
Are many of us frozen in the face of the climate crisis because we think other people don’t care enough? A new blog by my wonderful colleague, Elsie Roderiques, advocating that one important way to build greater public concern and demand for climate action is to support people to develop a more accurate perception of what their fellow human beings care about. In other words, to shift the deep narrative we hold about human nature. [Common Cause Foundation]
Building the Bridge to Peace: Reframing Peace and Peacebuilding Check out this new report from the Frameworks Institute exploring how a narrative of interconnectedness could support peacebuilding efforts across the world. Looking forward to diving into this this week! Or, if you’re more an audio-fan, you can listen to the findings here. [FrameWorks Institute]
‘Storytelling’ with Nicky Hawkins, On Road Media Check out this episode of podcast, Sounds Like A Plan, which features strat comms guru, Nicky Hawkins, talking about how we can create a symphony from the cacophony when it comes to climate comms. [On Road Media]
Do you believe in climate solutions? You just might be a solarpunk A quick read exploring the ever growing solarpunk community and what it stands for. [Grist]
We Need to Talk About How We Talk About Systems Change… In this article, Nat Kendall-Taylor and Bill Pitkin from the Frameworks Institute get a bit meta and give us some pointers on how to communicate systems change without increasing someone’s feelings of fatalism. [The Communications Network]
UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Things for the calendar.Â
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*Job Klaxon* Social Mobility Foundation Brand Narrative Brief
Social Mobility Foundation is on the look out for a strategic communications expert to help them develop a new brand story.
The fee for the work is £10k
Deadline to submit an EOI: Wednesday 20th April
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*Job Klaxon* Projects and Programmes Manager for More in Common
The More in Common UK team are looking for someone new to join them in supporting the development of more united, inclusive and resilient societies.
UK based
Full time contract
£40k-£50k salary
Deadline to apply: 11pm BST on Thursday 21st April
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Hope in Action - Beyond Narratives of Us and Them
Join Ruth Ibegbuna, George Marshall and Alex Evans as they explore how we can move beyond dualistic and combative narratives of ‘us’ and ‘them’, ‘win’ or ‘lose’ and begin to communicate in a way that cultivates hope, action, connection and change.
Tuesday 17 May
7.30pm - 9pm BST
Online
£8 / £4 concession
Words to Live By
Clever people saying clever things.
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