Category: Outputs EN

Daniela Ferreira da Silva leads Workshop on “Environmental Action” in Porto

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Based on the Eco-Schools program with the theme “Climate Action, Outdoor Spaces, Biodiversity: Preserve and Regenerate,” PhD student Daniela Ferreira da Silva led the “Environmental Action” workshop at EB 2,3 Pêro Vaz de Caminha School (Porto) with class 9A and the Environmental Representatives from all 9th-grade classes on May 28, 2025.

The main goal of the workshop was to foster critical thinking around the political dimensions of climate change. Using photovoice methodology, mind mapping, and action strategy development, students explored ways to mitigate key environmental issues identified in their community: heavy traffic, excessive use of private cars, air pollution, and overcrowded bus stops.

Special thanks go to Professor Celeste Costa for her support in organizing and energizing the activity.

Daniela Ferreira da Silva presents at the project conference “Real Needs and Exploratory Approaches for Service-Learning”

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At the invitation of NUCLIO – the Interactive Astronomy and Education Innovation Center, Daniela Ferreira da Silva gave a presentation at the final conference of the EARN project – Exploratory Approaches and Real Needs in Service-Learning. The presentation was titled “Co-creating spaces of agency: climate activism and participatory research as learning spaces to political action”. It was developed in collaboration with her supervisory team – Anabela Carvalho and Maria Fernandes-Jesus. The final conference took place on May 15 at the Frei Gonçalo de Azevedo School in Cascais.

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].

Published article: “Climate Activist Groups’ Discourses on Science and Knowledge: Merging Rhetorical Strategies with Political Visions”

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The recent article from the JustFutures project, titled “Climate Activist Groups’ Discourses on Science and Knowledge: Merging Rhetorical Strategies with Political Visions”, was published in the Environmental Communication journal on April 21, 2025. This study examines the discursive uses of science by three Portuguese youth-led climate groups — School Strike for Climate Portugal, Climáximo, and LIDERA. The study found that they have invoked science in three distinctive communicative moves: constructing science into a strategic ally; turning climate science into a political and ethical referee; and debating and pluralizing science. The authors argue that while climate groups can bolster mainstream science, some also foster critical perspectives and try to push science away from the dominant symbolic territory of “universalism” and “neutrality”.

Below, you can find the published version of this work, also available through this link.

Climate Activist Groups Discourses on Science and Knowledge Merging Rhetorical Strategies with Political VisionsDownload

Published article: “Young people’s conceptions of political agency in relation to climate change”

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The most recent article from the JustFutures project, titled “Young people’s conceptions of political agency in relation to climate change”, was published in Environmental Politics on April 15, 2025. This article examines how young people in Portugal understand and engage with political agency in the context of climate change. Through focus groups with 154 participants (aged 13 to 35), four main conceptions of political agency emerged: transformational collective agency, proto-political collective action, individualised action, and disempowered action. The authors suggest that young people’s political agency regarding climate change is shaped by both motivating and inhibiting factors, a desire for political influence and perceived power to bring about transformative change.

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

Rebelo et al. – Young people’s conceptions of political agency in relation to climate changeDownload

Published article: “Prefigurative Politics and Cultures of Care in the Portuguese Youth Climate Strike Movement during School Occupations”

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The recent article from the JustFutures project, titled “Prefigurative Politics and Cultures of Care in the Portuguese Youth Climate Strike Movement during School Occupations”, was published in the PARTECIPAZIONE E CONFLITTO on March 15, 2025. This study explores everyday practices and cultures of conviviality to understand how young activists sustain themselves during intense protest periods. The research was developed through an ethnographic study of school and university occupations in Lisbon by School Strike for Climate Portugal. The study sheds light on how cultures of care and prefigurative politics (practicing the future they want) shape the movement and foster hopeful futures.

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

Rebelo et al. – 2025 – Prefigurative Politics and Cultures of Care in the Portuguese Youth Climate Strike Movement during SDownload

Published article: “Relationships Between Activist Groups and Political Parties Shaping the Portuguese Climate Movement: Dynamics of Resistance and Collaboration”

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The most recent article from the JustFutures project, titled “Relationships Between Activist Groups and Political Parties Shaping the Portuguese Climate Movement: Dynamics of Resistance and Collaboration”, was published in the social sciences on March 31, 2025. This study analyzes the interactions of young climate activists with political parties and how they shape the dynamics of the Student Climate Strike. The research was developed through an ethnographic strategy in two cities in the country. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the group´s challenges over time and the ways in which activist movements negotiate political affiliations and internal cohesion.

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

Diógenes-Lima et al. – 2025 – Relationships Between Activist Groups and Political Parties Shaping the Portuguese Climate MovementDownload

Published article: “Imagined Climate Futures and Collective Action: An Analysis of Affect in Dystopias and Utopias by Young Climate Activists”

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The most recent article from the JustFutures project, titled “Imagined Climate Futures and Collective Action: An Analysis of Affect in Dystopias and Utopias by Young Climate Activists“, was published in the Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology on March 4, 2025. This study is part of the analysis of focus group discussions and examines the affective qualities of the utopias and dystopias developed by young climate activists in various cities across Portugal. The work challenges the literature that assumes hope as the only emotional disposition for engagement in climate activism, exploring the value of negative imagined futures as catalysts for action and change.

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

Community Applied Soc Psy – 2025 – Santos – Imagined Climate Futures and Collective Action An Analysis of Affect inDownload

New materials added to the ClimAct-Hub section

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Between late 2024 and early 2025, the project developed two new resources, which can be found in the ClimAct-Hub section. This section showcases some of the materials created by the project with relevance for climate activism.

The brochure “Creating Action Dynamics: Developing Youth Political Agency and Building Fairer Climate Futures“  (here in Portuguese) was the result of two participatory workshops on political agency and climate change, held with young people from two Portuguese cities—Porto and Lisbon. The English version of the brochure was published on the website of the Shift-COST action, which supported its production (here).

In February 2025, the project published the Climate Activism Timeline–2015-2025, which aims to highlight demonstrations, protests, and other events related to environmental, climate, and sustainability issues. You can access it here.

Published chapter “Communication in youth climate activism: Addressing research pitfalls and centring young people’s voices” in the book “Environmental Communication”

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Carla Malafaia and Maria Fernandes-Jesus published the chapter “Communication in Youth Climate Activism: Addressing Research Pitfalls and Centring Young People’s Voices,” in December 2024. The chapter appeared in the recently released book “Environmental Communication”, published by De Gruyter Mouton (“Handbooks of Communication Science” series).

Anabela Carvalho, the coordinator of the JustFutures project, co-edited the book together with Tarla Rai Peterson (University of Texas El Paso). This book is intended for scholars, students and professionals in communication, environmental policy, environmental sociology, and environmental studies.

Below, you can find one of the chapters.

MalafaiaFernandes-Jesus_AcceptedversionDownload

Published article “Intersectionality in youth climate activism as educational practice: political, pragmatic, and pedagogical dimensions”

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The latest article published by the JustFutures project is entitled “Intersectionality in youth climate activism as educational practice: political, pragmatic, and pedagogical dimensions”, and was published in the journal Frontiers in Education on January 1, 2025.  This work is part of Task 5 of the project (understanding on-the-ground experiences of collective action) and investigates the value of intersectionality practices developed by the School Strike for Climate in two Portuguese cities. The study reinforces the potential of intersectionality in political socialization and collective learning, challenging hegemonic educational practices.

Below, you can find the final version of this work. You can also access it via this link.

Garcia et al. – 2025 – Intersectionality in youth climate activism as educational practice political, pragmatic, and pedagDownload