The rise of the youth climate movement has inspired millions of young people around the world to join the protest over the past decade. I found it interesting that the youth-led activism groups actually embody cross-collaborations in which adults play a critical role.  There is not yet a substantial body of research on the relationships between youths and adults in the youth-led climate movement. So my research will focus on studying the structural and interpersonal power dynamics between youths with adults in the climate movement by analyzing the data from a youth climate change documentary film project supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

I will combine a video-based thematic analysis with semi-structured interviews to examine the climate change stories youths narrate and the influence of adults behind the stories. Through the findings of this research, I seek to provide a more textured understanding of the youth climate movement by emphasizing and unpacking the role of adults in their activism. I hope my research will have implications for international organizations and NGOs to facilitate climate action through youth engagement. Furthermore, the discussion of the power dynamic between adults and youths in social movements may prove meaningful for other social movements where youths have played significant roles, such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ, and immigrant rights movements.

This research idea was inspired by the sustainability education class delivered by you last semester and the global mapping of climate change communication and education research project I am involved with. Special thanks to Erika Kessler who provided me with invaluable suggestions on presenting the research logic clearly and to Darren Rabinowitz who generously shared with me his AC4 research experience.