In 2020, the Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics was delighted to host renowned intersectional climate justice activist and creative, Suzanne Dhaliwal, as a Visiting Fellow to the Centre. Suzanne is Co-Founder and Director of UK Tar Sands Network and has appeared as a guest writer and speaker in major newspapers, on radio, televisions and performed lectures across the UK, EU and North America.

Suzanne’s Fellowship intended to focus upon local climate justice organisers and cultural producers, exploring in situ the culture of activism in Brighton, and working to support inclusivity. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, however, which prevented face to face activities, Suzanne’s research activities had to adapt to the digital environment. Taking this opportunity to refocus, Suzanne explored how the digitization of climate movements are increasing the digital divide in climate justice campaigning, whilst also creating the space for new possibilities for global organising and collaboration. Drawing upon her extensive activism and cultural production experience, Suzanne also focused attention on how White Supremacy in media production and campaigning negatively impacts climate campaigning, calling for more decolonising work to be done within and across climate campaigning and media.

Sharing and reflecting upon her Fellowship research activities, Suzanne gave an interactive talk in Summer 2020 titled ‘From Climate Noise to Climate Communications: Centreing Climate Justice in an Age of Covid-19’. Centre member, Professor Julie Doyle, who had been working closely with Suzanne during the fellowship, hosted the event. You can access the video recording at the top of this page.

Suzanne’s Fellowship is part the Centre’s ongoing work into decolonising research and practice, as well as exploring questions around digital media and online activism and campaigning.

Suzanne can be contacted on twitter @zooanne, or via their website