Narrative Archive

On the need for ‘thrutopian’ fiction and a ‘moderate flank’, acknowledging Ursula Le Guin’s suggestion that "Utopia isn't the place you arrive at, it's the effort to arrive at that place." 

"To tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis effectively, we urgently need to address cultural values relating to consumption....Cognitive science research supports the importance of role models as they tap into how our brain processes information and learns."

"The Green Stories project supported by BAFTA albert have launched a new competition to create a short video (up to 5 minutes) that raises awareness of the role of fictional role models in promoting sustainable lifestyles, and shines a light on how fictional characters may be implicitly promoting high carbon consumption as an aspiration."

CA’s new Co-Chairs share their thoughts on the “vital role of art in confronting racism and discrimination head on”, and “exploring the the complexity of all forms of migration”.

Recommending positive, human and solutions-oriented framing, for hopeful narratives that can engender compassion and create a culture of welcome.

“Any system will bring out negative human traits, unless this is explicitly taken into account and ‘built in’ to the solution.” If we hope for our work to move us into new systems, we should acknowledge this.

"The futures in this report offer glimpses of three alternative worlds in 2036: worlds where the most important things are belonging, care, and repair. They are neither utopian nor dystopian but somewhere in between; a little like real life, but fifteen years ahead."

Building on the work of the New Citizenship Project, this is a rallying cry to reclaim our future as citizens, by shedding the consumer story and embracing the revitalising, transformative Citizen Story.

A quick look at how Western, Eastern and Indigenous storytelling traditions “celebrate good and condemn evil” – ‘Literary Darwinism’ – with three clear recommendations.

Challenging the “doctrine that people won’t change their behaviour to tackle the climate crisis…(which) props up power structures and protects high-emitters and elites.” Useful given the IPCC report’s upcoming inclusion of behaviour change (for the first time).

The first edition of a vision for what might lie beyond the Sustainable Development Goals – “a chronicle of a future far better than is believable today...beautiful, rousing and hopeful by design.”

Baker argues that alarmist and leftist campaign messaging – detached from scientific fact – dominates the climate conversation, indoctrinates children and sows distrust.