Accessing Alternative Imaginaries

"the production of social imaginaries is a site of political contestation in which certain visions of the future are actively marginalized and different groups’ capacity to imagine better futures systematically eroded" (Stoddard et al, 2021).

When we think about the marginalization of 'alternative' visions of the future it can feel like a systemic challenge. This is true. But it is also a deeply personal and individual one. An academic or practitioner may stop themselves from advocating for a more far reaching or disruptive solution, for fear it will reduce their credibility. A strategic planner or policymaker may feel more comfortable engaging with data removed from its emotional contexts and 'hard nosed' Realist perspectives, in contrast with more emotive representations and relational or solidarity-based political approaches.

At the same time, when these individuals collapse on the sofa after a long day, they may happily turn on an emotive film that actively challenges their viewpoints. How do we bridge this gap? We're not 100% sure. But based on our insights, we're testing the potential to help marginalised voices create proposals for short films, that foreground their perspectives on environmental security risks in mass consumable formats. At the same time, we're working with practitioners from the film industry, academia and government to better understand how these more emotive products might translate into different professional contexts.