Human/Nature

Storytelling and Climate Futurisms

Presenter: Fawn Canady

Presenter Status: Faculty

Academic Year: 22-23

Semester: Spring

Department: Curriculum Studies and Secondary Education

Funding Source/Sponsor: RSCAP

Other Funding Source/Program: National Endowment for the Humanities

President's Strategic Plan Goal: Sustainability and Environmental Inquiry

Abstract:
A National Endowment for the Humanities grant proposal based on the Human/Nature Summer Institute for Summer 2023 exploring CliFi through digital & multimodal learning, interdisciplinary fieldwork, and traditional ecological knowledge. Our journey begins with Octavia E. Butler’s sci-fi classic, Parable of the Sower. Often categorized as dystopian literature, Sower’s teenage protagonist, Lauren Olamina, imagines a hopeful future for humankind through her religion, Earthseed. Embrace change and adapt! Then, we move through a range of stories including young adult literature and nonfiction all while learning about climate inquiry “in place.” In an interview, Butler said she based the Parables on current events. Thus, we hope to inspire teachers to use current events, scientific inquiry, and local knowledge to inspire new stories. Let’s imagine alternative futures for life on our planet.