Climate Literacy in Education

Democracy and Kinship in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Nick Kleese — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This article argues that Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind provides generative openings for young people to imagine egalitarian political relations with non-human animals. At the same time, the film also reproduces the all-too-common image of the young monarch who almost single-handedly saves their people from destruction: an autocratic and authoritarian impulse that runs contrary to what a truly ecological democracy might look like. Nevertheless, I propose that educators might still use Nausicaä to help young people think through the politics of climate-minded media.

Social Justice, Human Rights, and Environmental Crisis in Álvaro Colomer's Ahora llega el silencio (2019)

Antonella De Sena — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The novel Ahora llega el silencio (2019) by Álvaro Colomer is a recent example of Spanish ecofiction, exploring themes of environmental and social justice in a post-apocalyptic setting. This article shows the novel’s potential to address human rights, gender equality, social justice, climate and environmental issues. Through a story of survival and unity in the face of chaos, Colomer's work delivers a timely message about the need for cooperation, respect, and environmental stewardship for a better future.

Climate Change Denialism

Ricardo Ramos, Maria José Rodrigues, Isilda Rodrigues — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Climate denialism is a spectrum spanning outright denial and degrees of skepticism about the reality of climate change. Denialism is fueled by disinformation or imprecise information that finds fertile ground on social media and takes advantage of the users’ fears and vulnerabilities, such as a lack of climate literacy and critical thinking. In this article, we offer examples of how to refute climate change denialism and expand notions of climate literacy to include the capacity to both identify and respond to climate disinformation.

Implementing Ecojustice Praxis in Children's Literature Courses

Karen Hindhede — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Faculty must do more to include ecojustice pedagogy, including climate change education, in higher education. This article describes how I infused ecojustice pedagogy into my undergraduate children's literature course. I share my experiences on developing an ecojustice praxis over a three-semester period. Using the three prongs of sustainability (ecology, economics, and equity), I provide suggestions for incorporating texts, vocabulary, and heuristics, specific activities and assignments.