Underrated Ideas

Environmental security discourse continues to be informed by a relatively small circle of commentators, with limited demographic and conceptual diversity. This has resulted in a narrowing of the Overton Window, with certain narratives gaining disproportionate traction (e.g. mass migration, water wars, etc) despite the deep uncertainty that surrounds future climate security risks and opportunities.

The Underrated Ideas project - between King's College London and Underrated Individuals - is seeking to change this by developing new systems for communicating important, alternative ideas around environmental security risks and opportunities for alternative, innovative responses. This includes progressive testing of different social and broadcast media systems, and the development of targeted products (including podcasts, research series, children's books, TV shorts, and music).

Using Drama for Impact

"You can’t tell someone you’re going to give them bad news for an hour and expect them to turn up and listen to it." (Nilsson et al., 2023)

It's been a long day and you're tired and stressed. The last thing you probably want is to watch a film or tv series that lectures you on the existential climate risks that humanity is facing. This understandable preference is a critical barrier for communicating and educating societies on environmental security risks. How do we change this?

Simply put, we need to put 'drama' first. We're working with actors, producers, and scriptwriters to help integrate environmental security trends and principles within film and tv series. In doing so, we're seeking to help people gain insights on real-life risks through formats that don't feel dogmatic or off-putting. Yet, in turn, we're also helping academics to understand how to deliver information in a more engaging and impactful way.

Case Study:

COPPER BULLET follows four characters who must navigate a web of criminality, revenge and greed after they naively stumble into the illegal copper trade in Central Africa. As power struggles between competing interests unfold, we are drawn into a matrix of crime lords, law enforcement, and the ordinary people caught in the crossfire. Highlighting issues of cultural identity, fractured belief systems, economic aspirations and the pervasive influence of foreign powers, COPPER BULLET provides audiences with dramatic personal stories that also communicate the rapidly changing risks and opportunities seen in modern Africa.

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.

Reimagining Spaces for Education and Collaboration

"There can be no hope of finding viable solutions to environmental problems unless and until education and communication at all levels [can] enable people from all walks of life to comprehend the fundamental interrelationships between humans and their environment." (Stapp, 2000)

How do we democratize the communication of environmental risks when global communications are controlled by an increasingly small number of providers? How do we combine scientific knowledge with traditional wisdom whilst avoiding information disorders? What options exist to change our methods of environmental communications altogether?

These are big questions with no easy answers. Finding answers requires collaboration between experts and practitioners from the environmental, media, business and policymaking communities, in an environment where discussions occur alongside hands-on experience in delivering ecological resilience. We're working with leading officials across Zambia, to create a test case for achieving this.

The Alkebulan Studios project seeks to create a new type of campus for delivering integrated education and hands-on experience in media production, business, and agricultural technologies. In addition to supporting environmental stakeholders to deliver sustainable environmental action, we hope to create a unique meeting place for driving new policy thinking and community integration.

Project Partners:

Chama Fumba, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, Government of Zambia

Dr. Shimwaayi Muntemba, Former World Bank Senior Scientist and Co-Author of the Bundtland Report

Jessica Bwali, COP26 African Ambassador and climate activist,

Golden Maiwanga, film producer, scriptwriter, and cinematographer

Next Generation Pressure for This Generation of Leaders

"I don't care much about climate change, but my daughter does so we're going to do something about it." (Senior Government Official)

One of the most underestimated drivers of global security and politics is the children of senior leaders. It's not necessarily surprising. They get access to those leaders in a highly concentrated

Social Media? Research Series? Research activities?

Describe the social media campaign?

worm's-eye view photography of concrete building