Author: Admin

Opinion article published on the Barómetro Social platform

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Researcher Daniela Ferreira da Silva has published the opinion article “Youth-led Groups in Search of More Just Futures”, as part of the 2026 second series of articles on the Barómetro Social platform.

Barómetro Social – Virtual Platform for Reflection and Analysis of Portuguese Society and its Positioning in the International Context is an initiative of the Institute of Sociology at the University of Porto, dedicated to promoting informed reflection and public debate on key social issues.

The article can be accessed here: https://www.barometro.com.pt/2026/07/28/grupos-liderados-por-jovens-a-procura-de-futuros-mais-justos/

The Barómetro Social platform is available here: https://www.barometro.com.pt/

Chapter published: “Climate Futures and Just Transformations: Re-Imagining Politics Within Youth Climate Activism” in “Routledge Handbook of Young People’s Environmental Activism”

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We are delighted to share that the chapter “Climate Futures and Just Transformations: Re-Imagining Politics Within Youth Climate Activism” has been published in the Routledge Handbook of Young People’s Environmental Activism, edited by Sadiya Akram and Benjamin Bowman and published by Routledge.

Co-authored by Dora Rebelo, Ana Dias Garcia, Tânia R. Santos, Leonor Pêra, João Silveira, Teresa Amorim, Carla Malafaia, Anabela Carvalho, and Maria Fernandes-Jesus, this collaborative chapter brings together young climate activists and researchers to explore how young people imagine climate futures and articulate visions for just societal transformations through climate activism.

Drawing on focus group discussions with young climate activists and non-activists, as well as multi-site ethnographic research conducted in Lisbon and Porto within the JustFutures project, the chapter examines how young people construct alternative political imaginaries, negotiate hope and uncertainty, and reimagine politics beyond institutional responses to the climate crisis. It highlights the transformative potential of youth climate activism in fostering more just, democratic, and sustainable futures.

Daniela Ferreira da Silva attended the Northern Climate Justice Meeting 2026

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Researcher Daniela Ferreira da Silva took part in the Northern Climate Justice Meeting 2026 on June 20 in Guimarães, European Green Capital. She moderated panel discussions focused on two main questions: “How can we strengthen the voices of the groups most affected by climate collapse?” and “What is going wrong in our decision-making systems?” She also joined the final discussion on climate governance alongside Paulo Magalhães, architect of the “Common Home of Humanity” project.

The meeting was a space to discuss major ongoing environmental conflicts in northern Portugal and to explore ways of managing these issues through more democratic community approaches, such as cooperatives and citizens’ assemblies. Events like this aim to renew motivation among environmental organizations, community groups, and activists who are working against political inaction on the climate crisis.

JustFutures at the Conference “Reframing Climate Resilience: The Transformative Role of Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts” Organized by SHIFT COST Action

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Anabela Carvalho and Daniela Ferreira da Silva presented part of the JustFutures project’s work at the conference “Reframing Climate Resilience: The Transformative Role of Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts”, organized by SHIFT COST Action. The conference took place on June 1–2 at NOVA University Lisbon’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Their presentation, “Young Climate Activists and the Development of Alternative Political Imaginaries”, was featured in the panel “Youth, Climate Citizenship and Intergenerational Governance”. The presentation introduced and explored the concept of political imaginaries in relation to the challenges of climate change communication and the emergence of youth activist groups that are advancing different political visions of the future (see more here).

The conference abstract book is available here.

This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through the following grants: the research project JUSTFUTURES – Climate Futures and Just Transformations: Young People’s Narratives and Political Imaginaries [PTDC/COM-OUT/7669/2020]; the research project Reimagining Political Agency: The Voice(s) of Young People in the Climate Change Debate [2024.02918.BD]; and the Centre for Research in Anthropology [UID/04038].

Daniela Ferreira da Silva as Guest Speaker in the Course Unit “Sociology of Territory and Environment”

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Daniela Ferreira da Silva participated as a guest speaker in the course unit Sociology of Territory and Environment, organised by José Pedro Silva and Inês Barbosa within the Master’s Programme in Sociology at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto.

Her contribution, entitled “The Politicisation of Climate Change: The Youth Climate Movement in Portugal”, took place on 13 April 2026. It aimed to discuss the politicisation of climate change through an analysis of the political imaginaries of the youth climate movement in Portugal, as well as through collaborative workshops with young people exhibiting different levels of engagement with the climate crisis.

Special thanks are extended to the course lecturers and to all those who participated in the session.

Daniela Ferreira da Silva on the Compor Mundos Podcast – Humanities, Well-being, and Health

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Researcher Daniela Ferreira da Silva was the guest on episode number 40 of the podcast Compor Mundos – “Future Networks: Youth Reimagining Climate and Politics”.

Youth climate activism has been shaping new ways of thinking about and doing politics. These groups, led by young Portuguese activists, are building political imaginaries that challenge dominant narratives, mobilize digital networks to act and communicate, and negotiate their media representations within a transforming public sphere. In this episode, we analyze and reflect on how youth activism is reshaping the relationship between communication, politics, and ecology, focusing on new dynamics of mobilization and the symbolic disputes that cut across the media and digital landscape.

The episode was recorded in Portuguese, published on February 19, 2026, and can be accessed here.

Published article: “Engaging young people with alternative climate futures: cultivating political imagination through participatory methodologies”

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The article entitled “Engaging young people with alternative climate futures: cultivating political imagination through participatory methodologies” was published in the journal Environmental Education Research on 13 December 2025. This critical review analyses published research that explores how participatory methodologies can encourage young people to reflect on their political imaginaries in relation to climate change and on their role as agents of change. The article seeks to reinforce the need to explore the inherently political nature of climate change as a central point of critique and experimentation in social research.

Below, you can find the post-print version of this work, also available through this link.

Accepted Manuscript_EER_2025Download

JustFutures at the Ethical Assembly summit

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JustFutures took part in the Ethical Assembly, held on 29–30 November, an inspiring two-day gathering focused on ethical innovation and global responsibility towards climate justice. Representing the project, Dora Rebelo joined a dynamic roundtable on Climate Action, where activists, researchers, and engaged participants exchanged perspectives on the urgent need for equitable transition and climate action.

The conversation focused on shaping climate-just futures, highlighting the importance of solutions that not only address environmental challenges but also promote fairness, resilience, and collective empowerment. The group emphasized actionable pathways that communities worldwide can adopt to transform climate concern into concrete, inclusive change.

Daniela Ferreira da Silva as invited speaker in the course “Sociology of Communication and Information”

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Daniela Ferreira da Silva took part as a guest speaker in the course “Sociology of Communication and Information”, organized by Diogo Guedes Vidal and Vanda Viegas from the Social Sciences undergraduate program at Universidade Aberta.

Her talk, titled “Youth-Led Climate Activist Groups: Political Imaginaries, Communication Strategies, and Media Representations,” was held on November 26, 2025. The goal was to present the political visions of young climate activist groups, their references, how they mobilize, and how the media portrays them. Her presentation contributed to a broader discussion about what these dynamics mean for the study of climate change communication.

Special thanks to everyone who actively took part in the webinar, helping spark reflection and discussion.

Anabela Carvalho on the program 90 Seconds of Science

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Professor Anabela Carvalho participated in the program 90 Seconds of Science. The episode is titled “JustFutures Project studies climate activism among young Portuguese people.” The short audio clip can be heard here.

The Production highlighted the following idea: “It is clear that many young people have a greater desire to make their voices heard in the public sphere. There are many prejudices against young people, often on the part of political and other entities, regarding their ability to think, reflect, and propose paths for the future, and this adultism and these prejudices are sometimes demobilizing as well”.