The Rhetoric of Environmental Change Narratives
Date
2019-05-15
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Abstract
For many, ‘pure environmental science’ is inaccessible. Arduous content has created a divide between environmental researchers and their beneficiaries, leading audiences to seek secondary source interpretations, rather than primary research publications. This choice between science and science interpretation is a false dichotomy. Climate change dialogue is not merely a translation of research; rather, it is an ongoing conversation between individuals that seek to quantify biosphere change and authors that describe the qualities of this phenomenon and its wider implications. Measurable characteristics are coupled with affective attributes that blur the lines between ‘objective science’ and ‘subjective reporting’. Climate change dialogue has transitioned from being primarily data-driven to encompassing a diverse range of written commentaries, movies, art, podcasts, literature, movements, and more. Authors bring unique observations, interpretations, and perspectives inspired by anthropocentric change. Modern environmentalist rhetoric is not a colloquial understanding of scientific research, but instead, an entirely new branch of communication spurred by the common desire to document, comment on, and change the trajectory of human interaction with biosphere processes. This thesis examines the rhetoric strategies behind effective climate change commentaries, their relations to our current geologic and ideologic epochs, and mechanisms driving (in)action. This thesis attempts to answer: (1) What is the responsibility of modern authors in presenting current perspectives on climate change dialogue? and (2) How can authors best create accessible models for systematic environmental remediation and public responses?
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environmental change, climate change, global warming, rhetoric, english