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Communicating Sustainable Futures for Collective Action

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  • Cassandra L. C. Troy

    (College of Media, Journalism, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Abstract

In order to unite for collective action and shift the status quo, scholars have suggested that people require shared visions of a positive future. However, many media depictions of environmental futures are bleak, focused on negative outcomes to be avoided rather than desirable possibilities to strive for. This chapter begins by examining media genres such as speculative, cli-fi, utopian, and solarpunk fiction that depict positive, sustainable futures. Next, psychological theories of future thinking and social change are reviewed, including the social identity theory of intergroup behavior, model of utopian thinking, and collective futures framework. These theories offer insight into a number of cognitive mechanisms that could motivate constructive responses to depictions of desirable futures. Furthermore, this scholarship can provide guidance for the operationalization of sustainable futures messaging in strategic communication contexts. Altogether, the review of these research areas presents numerous opportunities for strategic communication practitioners and scholars to examine the use of positive messaging about sustainable futures to motivate collective action in the present through a variety of media channels and among a range of stakeholder groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Cassandra L. C. Troy, 2025. "Communicating Sustainable Futures for Collective Action," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance,, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:csrchp:978-3-031-89486-2_28
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-89486-2_28
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