Call for Abstracts: Framing Climate Crises and Energy Transitions

*Call for Abstracts*

10th Biennial ECREA (European Communication Research and Education Association) Conference in Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Conference Dates: 23 to 27 September 2024

Conference Theme: Communication and Social (Dis)order ECREA Section: Science and Environment Communication Panel Title: Framing Climate Crises and Energy Transitions

CfA: Framing Climate Crises and Energy Transitions

Deadline for Abstracts: 4 January 2024

The link between the climate crisis and the need for energy transition is logically evident: the burning of fossil fuels over the past centuries has resulted in runaway carbon emissions that have significantly altered the Earth’s climate. To mitigate further catastrophic impacts, societies now face the imperative of decarbonizing their energy systems. However, in practice, the process of adopting clean, safe, and reliable energy is framed differently across various domains. The energy transition is simultaneously framed by politicians, activists, academics, journalists, artists, etc. as economic opportunity, scientific consensus, ethical imperative, or political conflict (Wardekker & Lorenz (2019); Almiron et al. (2020); Maehle et al. (2021), Chen et al. (2023).Previous climate framing research, particularly studies by Nisbet (2009), Lakoff (2010), Schäfer & O’Neill (2017), and Guenther et al. (2023), has primarily focused on mass media and journalism.

This panel aims to deepen that line of research and expand the scope of framing studies by examining the relationships between, and impacts of, framing climate crises and energy transitions across various mediums and rhetorical situations including but not limited to:

1)Artworks, Literature, Podcasts, Film, TV-series, and other Cultural Productions: We envision papers that investigate how climate change and energy transitions are represented in diverse media and narrative genres, including climate dystopias and utopias. How do alternative media shape the creative emotional and aesthetic dimensions of these issues and explore alternative perspectives on climate change and decarbonization? What are the most frequently used or most innovative frames for climate fiction, energy futures, or solar punk?

2)Academic and Policy Discourse: Submissions in this category could examine the framing of climate change and energy transitions within scholarly publications, policy documents, and reports to help uncover the conceptual frameworks and discursive strategies employed in these domains

3)Activist Campaigns and Movements: How do climate activists frame their concerns through slogans, images, icons, and mission statements? Alternatively, how does mass media frame climate activism including activists’ disruptive and/or “criminal” actions? Papers could examine the language, narratives, and messaging used by advocacy groups to shift public discourse and mobilize climate action as well as how activists are framed by mass media.

4)Political Rhetoric and Debate: We also invite submissions that explore the framing of climate crises and energy transitions in political rhetoric and debates. This can include analyses of speeches, policy debates, and meetings such as COP 28. What framing or reframing strategies are employed by politicians and policymakers? Papers may also analyze other overlapping and interconnected frames as applied to climate change and decarbonization across different contexts.

Overall, this panel seeks to broaden the scope of framing studies by examining frames used by artists, novelists, scholars, activists, content creators, influencers, politicians, and policymakers and thereby reveal some of the (dis)orderly connections between climate and energy.

For consideration in the panel, please send name, email, institutional affiliation, short bio, and abstracts of 300-400 words by 4 January 2024 to: (dlewis /at/ comillas.edu) <mailto:(dlewis /at/ comillas.edu)>and (valentina.cappi3 /at/ unibo.it) <mailto:(valentina.cappi3 /at/ unibo.it)>

Decisions about potential panelists will be sent by 7 January.

The final panel proposal will be submitted to the ECREA committee on 11 January 2024. Final decisions on the panel and notifications of acceptance from ECREA will be received by 12 March 2024.