Partners
- Creative Exchange UK Limited (United Kingdom) – coordinator
- The Rural Hub (Ireland)
- UDRUJENIJE GRAGDANA DAH TEATAR – CENTAR ZA POZORISHNA ISTRAJIVANJA (Serbia)
- Skills Elevation (Germany)
- SOLUTION: Solidarité & Inclusion (France)
- CSI CENTER FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION (Cyprus)
- INNOVENTUM OY (Finland)
Project description
There is no doubt that education has a serious role to play in the ‘politics of persuasion’ as we seek to find new ways, not simply of helping people understand the worsening climate crisis, but also the part that we, as concerned citizens, can play in changing behaviour and contributing to solutions for a healthier planet. However, just as education has its part to play in the climate change challenge; rational argument, creativity and humour are also effective tools of persuasion. Intelligent disobedience can serve as one of the most effective and inspiring methods to bring about long lasting social change in the face of the ‘hard and soft resistance’ pushed by hardline climate sceptics and the all-too-often ‘profit first, people last’ corporate forces. Of all the comedy forms satire is certainly one of the more impactful; it has the ability to point out deficiencies in human behaviour and state systems, as well as to bring about social change by challenging the status quo. Its power emanates from the fact that it highlights social issues in such a way that they become absurd, hilarious and therefore entertaining; with the potential to reach a wide audience across geographical and cultural barriers. Because any social critique is implied rather than overtly stated; satire becomes a powerful ‘Tool of Disobedience’ for challenging political and social periods or situations. It is a form of Intelligent Disobedience, and encourages citizens and subjects to apply critical thinking to their own lives and social or environmental situations.
In the FARCE project, the consortium want to capture the spirit of comedy and satire to [re]engage people in education and the Art of Persuasion in a challenging and effective way. In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing climate crisis, political turmoil and populist regimes dividing communities across Europe, and the seemingly constant information flow of negativity; another objective of the FARCE project is to demand and design new approaches, new diversions, where community educators examine ways to manipulate the newsflow to ensure potential receivers are more engaged with a positive message for change, rather than forced to accept their fate or simply switch channels. Channels of communication are crucial in the FARCE project as partners also investigate; misinformation, disinformation and malinformation; and how media channels are exploited by nefarious forces to divide communities, cause harm and stir up hatred. One of the crucial aspects we focus on is, how people can take back control of their newsfeeds, empowering them to critically evaluate the message and not to rely on one messenger, however that may satisfy their ego at the time. To burst their own bubble; escape the echo chamber; be their own critical best friend.
Our initial needs analysis has shown that there is very little, if any, available instruction about how to use comedy or satire in mainstream education across the partner countries. However, there is evidence that carefully deploying the technique has significant potential across a variety of educational settings, and in a range of subject areas. Studies have shown that levity has the power to impact upon our critical thinking skills, and in turn can improve study skills and engagement across the board. In the face of the constant negative newsflow we have:
– Shared pedagogical best practice for those working in formal, informal and non-formal adult educational settings, to address climate change issues using new satirical and comedic techniques
– Developed a fully accessible Comedy Compendium of satirical resources that address a number of critical topics of the climate challenge and support educators
– Developed bespoke in service training and CPD for those working in formal, informal and non-formal adult educational settings, to address the climate change challenge by using humour based methods
– Designed new ways for educators to be proactive in re-calibrating negative newsfeeds in the face of incessant bad news stories in the mainstream and social media
Website and social media
To learn more about FARCE, please visit the project website and Facebook page:
