The Fridtjof Nansen Institute welcomes Professor Dana R. Fisher, American University, Washington D.C., for a seminar on the future of climate activism. Fisher is a leading scholar of climate politics and civil society, and author of the recent book Saving Ourselves: from Climate Shocks to Climate Action.

 

Program
 

  • Welcome and introduction – Lars Gulbrandsen, Deputy Director, Fridtjof Nansen Institute

  • Keynote: Saving Ourselves in Times of Polycrisis – Dana R. Fisher, Director, Center for Environment, Community, & Equity, American University

  • Q&A and discussion


About the talkSaving Ourselves Book Cover

How do we understand the evolution of climate activism and protest, and what role will it play in getting society through the climate crisis? Drawing on 25 years of research on climate policymaking and civil society’s role, Fisher argues that the most realistic path forward for climate action is driven by mass mobilization responding to increasingly frequent and severe climate shocks.

Spurred by slow progress, climate activism has become more confrontational, with a radical flank emerging. The presentation will show when and how activism is most successful, stressing the importance of building community, capitalizing on moments of shock, and cultivating resilience. The talk draws on Fisher’s new book Saving Ourselves: from Climate Shocks to Climate Action, combined with fresh empirical data.

 

About the speakerProfessor Dana Fischer

Dana R. Fisher is Director of the Center for Environment, Community, & Equity and Professor in the School of International Service at American University. She is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution. Her research focuses on democracy, activism, and climate policy. She has published seven books and more than 80 chapters and peer-reviewed articles, including in Nature, Science Advances, and PNAS. In 2024 she gave a TED Talk based on her most recent book, and she served as a Contributing Author for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).