Dis-4Change: Studies on Climate Change and Environmental Discourse is an Interuniversity Research Centre founded in 2023 by the University of Naples L’Orientale (administrative headquarter), the University of Bologna – Alma Mater, the University of Bari, the University of Milan, the University of Salerno, the University of Turin and the University of Udine.
Our main goal is to promote research and public engagement projects on climate change and environmental discourse and communication. Hence, we focus on linguistic, cultural, and literary studies in dialogue with related studies in the humanities and social sciences. We promote collaborative research projects and public engagement based on the fundamental assumption that the expression and representation of climate and environmental phenomena in texts and genres of scientific, media and socio-media, literary, philosophic, filmic, institutional, and political communication reflect how they are valued by the public and may influence habits and attitudes.
We wish to:
– promote, advance and coordinate research in the field of discourse analysis, narrative and communication studies related to climate change and the environment;
– develop scientific outreach and interdisciplinary collaboration initiatives both nationally and internationally, as well as foster scientific contributions in the above areas of research;
– foster the exchange of information and materials between the Centre’s University partners and other universities, centres, institutions, public and private agencies and foundations dealing with issues related to the environment and climate change;
– promote symposia, seminars and conferences that document and discuss research results, also relating them to the problems and needs expressed by agencies and institutions working in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation, and environmental sustainability;
– give greater visibility to Italian research in the international field, through the promotion of conferences and international exchanges with research centres involved in studies in the above fields;
– disseminate research results of members;
– participate in joint projects;
– foster the training of young researchers in the above fields;
– carry out public engagement activities to meet the needs of public and private entities, companies, NGOs, etc. interested in improving their communication in the field of climate change and environmental sustainability.
Hence, we aim to collaborate with other national and international universities, centres, institutes, and public and private entities to effect societal change and promote action, while respecting our founding research aims and goals. We welcome members from other universities, research centres and institutions and seek collaborations with private partners who are interested in the investigation of how climate change and the environment are communicated, narrated, perceived and socially constructed in different domains.