I am offering this term BSc-thesis topics about "activist research" for grad students of environmental science at the university I teach.

A definition of activist research:

"(1) combination of knowledge production and transformative action; (2) systematic multi-level collaboration; and (3) challenges to power.
The most salient characteristic of activist research is the belief that it must go farther than knowledge production; it must create transformative action. Knowledge production is the epitome of all research, even for studies that seek to expose inequities and call out oppressive systems and structures, but activist research goes further by committing to bringing about change with and for the participants" (1)

I thought about having them organizing interviews with experts and workshops to strategize food system transformation like this one.🥕

https://undisciplinedenvironments.org/2023/09/28/a-workshop-for-strategizing-food-system-transformation-through-degrowth-thinking/

2) Another one could cover emissions in a city by studying the most important polluters/polluting ativities. Then to investigate possibilities for action and identify the most efficient way to make pressure/achieve change (pushing the local administration, organizing a public campaign directed at a company, public education...). ✈️

3) Another one (more urban planning-oriented): map all the roofs in the city and calculate the potential for solar panels (here are inclreasingly land use conflicts about new solar parks). Similar could be done about mobility, mapping traffic, urban space for cars and proposing a mobility transition. 🚴‍♀️

Life's too short and change is too urgent to produce boring scientific studies nobody really needs...

The response is overwhelming (seems like young people nowadays are eager to do something, when they see an opportunity where to start). 🔥
I'll even have to turn down several of the students because I can't tutor all of them at once 😢

Now I need to prepare well.

Question: does somebody have some helpful resources/ideas at hand?

#ActivistResearch #ActivistAcademia #Environmentalism #EnvironmentalScience #ClimateJustice

(1) https://stimpunks.org/research/activist/