TOPIC FOR FALL 2021

INTRODUCTION

THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL CHALLENGE: FACILATING CIVIL CONVERSATIONS

REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE

1. CONDUCTING FIELDWORK:

a. Can you understand why they disagree with you?  Can you find common ground with thosewho hold different views than you?

2. UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURAL CONTEXTS THAT SHAPE PEOPLEʼS BEHAVIOR: 

a. Try to understand why people, in a group possessing different views than you regardingclimate change, hold the views they do? To what degree do these views reflect certain groupvalues? 

3. A CONTINUING ANTHROPOLOGICAL TRADITION STRESSES HUMAN CONFLICT CAN OFTEN BESOFTENED BY APPRECIATING THE CONTEXTS THAT SHAPE DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES:

a. Frame your paper as a letter to a set of people who disagree with you on climate change ina way that will, hopefully, draw them toward a shared understanding on certain issues thatwill allow you to collectively work together on a shared project regarding climate change.

INSTRUCTIONS

READ the background material below.

TAKE A POSITION on climate change. Which one is up to you.

SELECT A GROUP'S POSITION THAT SIGNIFICANTLY DISAGREES WITH YOURS

WRITE A 400-800-WORD LETTER to people in this group:

a. At the top of your letter list two specific ways the people you are addressingdiffer from your own position on climate change.

b. In writing your letter, ask yourself:

i. How might you frame your letter to draw those who differ from you onclimate change to move toward a position that you both might share?

ii. Might you find a common goal to collaborate on in respect to climatechange?

YOUR LETTER WILL BE GRADED ON THE FOLLOWING STANDARDS:

(For More Specific Details See the Bottom of the Page)

a. How specific has the author been in listing at least two ways that the people sheor he is addressing differ from the authorʼs own view on climate change? Are thedifferences real and substantial?

b. The clarity of the authorʼs letter: Is it simple and easily understood.

c. Does the author convey her or his message in an emotional as well as rationalway – such as through telling a brief personal story or through a few anecdotes –that would likely hold the attention of the those who disagree with the author.Does the author make use of some of the ideas in the background readings thatdiscuss how to talk effectively with people who disagree with you?

d. Critically, how effective does the authorʼs letter seem? Do you think it will drawpeople with whom the author disagrees with on the topic to find common groundwith the author  so that the author and those that disagree with her or him cancollectively work together on a climate change project that benefits the broadercommunity?

BACKGROUND MATERIAL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Varying Views on Climate Change:

Where people disagree, sometimes heatedly, is on three issues:

1.

2.

3.

The Problem is this:

PLEASE NOTE: The following material will provide you with the information you need towrite your letter. You need not investigate the various links, footnotes, and referencesprovided unless you are interested in learning more about particular points raised. Youmay, if you wish, consult other sources as well.

It is very important to not get "lost" in the data. Be sure to write your letter in a well-organized manner that will clearly make the points you wish to make to draw those whodisagree with you toward common ground so that you can collectively address one or moreissues together regarding climate change.

SELECTED READINGS:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):

Is Earth's Climate Changing? Earth's climate is always changing . . . Earth'stemperature has gone up about one-degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years.This may not seem like much. But small changes in Earth's temperature canhave big effects.

The Limitations of Climate Models by Fabio Bergamin:

How accurate is the latest generation of climate models? Climate physicistReto Knutti from ETH Zurich has compared them with old models and draws a. . . conclusion: while climate modelling has made substantial progress inrecent years, we also need to be aware of its limitations . . .

Background of The Issue (Procon.Org)

https://climatechange.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=006525

The pro side

The con side

the US public

In Canada

Pro Position

Con Position

UNDERSTANDING THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE HOLD THE OPINIONS THEY

DO ON CLIMATE CHANGE

SELECTED READINGS:

Why We Are Poles Apart on Climate Change by Dan Kahan

Communicating Climate Change: Focus on the Framing, Not Just the Facts byRose Hendricks

Embracing And Resisting Climate Identities In The Australian Press: Sceptics,Scientists And Politics by Rusi Jaspal, Brigitte Nerlich, and Kitty van Vuuren

Establishing Common Ground: Finding Better Ways to Communicate AboutClimate Disruption by Anthony Barnosky et al.

• Establish Common Ground.

• Keep the Message Simple.

• Tell a Story.

• De-politicize climate messages.

FOOTNOTES:

YOUR PAPER WILL BE GRADED ON THE STANDARDS BELOW:

(FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND EXAMPLES OF LETTERS SEE THE LINK ON THE MAIN PAGE LABELED EXAMPLES OF LETTERS)

a. How specific has the author been in listing at least two ways that the people she or he isaddressing differ from the authorʼs own view on climate change? Are the differences realand substantial?

b. The clarity of the authorʼs letter: Is it simple and easily understood.

c. Does the author convey her or his message in an emotional as well as rational way – suchas through telling a brief personal story or through a few anecdotes – that would likelyhold the attention of the those who disagree with the author. Does the author make use ofsome of the ideas in the background readings that discuss how to talk effectively withpeople who disagree with you?

d. Critically, how effective does the authorʼs letter seem? Do you think it will draw peoplewith whom the author disagrees with on the topic to find common ground with the author so that the author and those that disagree with her or him can collectively work togetheron a climate change project that benefits the broader community?