Transformative Climate Propaganda Training

In his book Climate Propagandas: Stories of Extinction and Regeneration (The MIT Press, 2024), Jonas Staal examines various propaganda narratives about the climate crisis — from liberal stories that emphasise individual choices, to libertarian visions that see the situation as an opportunity for tech companies, from conspiracy theories that deny climate change, to eco-fascist tendencies that focus on who has the “right” to survive.  

At the same time, he ardently advocates for what he calls “transformative climate propaganda”: stories and images that do not predict death, but propose recovery, regeneration and collective life — with an intersectional perspective that takes colonialism, inequality and other powers into account.  

In this 3.5-hour workshop, Staal and the participants will first take a closer look at the different forms of propaganda. What exactly is propaganda, and how does it work, followed by a number of physical group exercises to understand the idea of propaganda and propagation in a sensory way. Participants then work in groups to practice and test emancipatory propaganda themselves. 

This workshop is intended for anyone who wants to build on a practice within the arts, civil society, associations, people connected to local climate resistance groups, etc. You bring the content/cause you want to promote.  

We expect you to participate in the entire training; you will get the most out of it if you also contribute.