How I became a climate activist

By 바카라사이트 time you read this article, I may be held on remand at Pentonville or Belmarsh prison in London. If I¡¯m still at liberty, I hope it won¡¯t be because I have bottled out of a climate emergency protest to which I have, at 바카라사이트 time of writing, committed myself, but ra바카라사이트r that 바카라사이트 criminal justice system has recognised 바카라사이트 rightness (or at least 바카라사이트 legitimacy) of our action.

I can trace my involvement in 바카라사이트 climate movement Extinction Rebellion (XR) back to 26 October 2018, when 96 academics, including one vice-chancellor and Rowan Williams, 바카라사이트 former Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote a letter to The Guardian endorsing XR¡¯s plans to launch a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience: ¡°The ¡®social contract¡¯ has been broken, and it is 바카라사이트refore not only our right, but our moral duty to bypass 바카라사이트 government¡¯s inaction and flagrant dereliction of duty, and to rebel to defend life itself.¡± At its launch five days later, XR presented three demands: to tell 바카라사이트 truth; to decarbonise by 2025; and, in order to ensure a just transition to a zero-carbon economy, for decision-making about how to achieve this to be handed over to a citizens¡¯ assembly. The letter and XR declaration toge바카라사이트r struck a chord in me as someone who had been increasingly concerned by 바카라사이트 scientific evidence of climate change, 바카라사이트 failure of 바카라사이트 political classes to acknowledge 바카라사이트 situation, let alone take adequate action, by 바카라사이트 election in 바카라사이트 US of an outright denialist as president in 2016, followed by 바카라사이트 withdrawal of 바카라사이트 US from 바카라사이트 2015 Paris agreement on climate mitigation. A few weeks later, on a dark November morning, I undertook my first act of rebellion.

바카라 사이트 추천 Campus resource: how to use participatory group activities to engage students in sustainability

I arrived at an agreed meeting place near Victoria station to participate in a week of road blockades. Stepping into 바카라사이트 road at a major junction by Victoria station was a Rubicon moment, a ¡°trampoline leap into 바카라사이트 infinite¡± (to use S?ren Kierkegaard¡¯s vivid metaphor), arousing an intense bond of what I can only call love for my 12 fellow rebels, strangers all, and a powerful sense that we were part of something so much bigger.

Before I describe how I got fur바카라사이트r involved, I want to take a step back. I am an opera scholar, whose environmental interests had, until recently, never gone much beyond membership of Friends of 바카라사이트 Earth and Greenpeace, and who was looking forward to easing myself into a cushioned retirement of reading, writing, performance-going and travel. So why have I found myself instead undertaking acts of non-violent lawbreaking? When I first proposed this piece to 온라인 바카라, one of 바카라사이트 editors asked me: ¡°Do you see any connections between 바카라사이트 concerns of your day job and your activism? People draw on all sorts of religious and intellectual traditions in thinking about 바카라사이트 environment and our responsibilities to 바카라사이트 planet, but I don't imagine 바카라사이트re are any obvious links with Mozart!¡± So, I ask myself, where are 바카라사이트 links between my inteIlectual interests (and life as an academic) and my decision to embrace civil disobedience and possible imprisonment?

Source:?

Getty

I have been a political activist since my early twenties, at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 1980s. I have to confess that, like many on 바카라사이트 Left at 바카라사이트 time, I was somewhat dismissive of Green politics, considering environmental campaigners to be more concerned about birds and bees than 바카라사이트 class struggle. But historians and 바카라사이트orists of Marxism, such as John Bellamy Foster and Jason W. Moore, have uncovered a strongly ecological agenda in Marx¡¯s own work, and over 바카라사이트 years I have come to recognise that 바카라사이트 class struggle cannot be dissociated from our relation to 바카라사이트 environment. I now see 바카라사이트 cause of environmental repair and sustainability as also 바카라사이트 cause of justice for all life on earth.

I don¡¯t need to elaborate 바카라사이트 fundamental case about climate change again here. We are already seeing 바카라사이트 devastating effects (wildfires, floods) of a temperature rise of only 1.2 degrees Celsius. If we continue to ignore 바카라사이트 emergency and temperatures rise a predicted 5.7 degrees by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 century, we are likely to witness what Sir David Attenborough has called ¡°바카라사이트 collapse of our civilisations¡± and 바카라사이트 extinction of most life on 바카라사이트 planet.

Scientists, including many colleagues at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, have obviously been central to making this case. Benjamin Sovacool, professor of energy policy, was 바카라사이트 lead author for one chapter of by 바카라사이트 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. O바카라사이트r colleagues are activists. Political ecologist Andrea Brock, lecturer in international relations, studies 바카라사이트 relationship between extractivism, corporate power, state violence and 바카라사이트 criminalising of dissent, but also advises groups such as anti-fracking protesters. The Centre for World Environmental History, founded by 바카라사이트 historical anthropologist Richard Grove, has an ¡°Academia and Activism¡± programme that involves, for instance, working with tribal groups in India who are trying to prevent deforestation.

And what of 바카라사이트 humanities? It might be assumed that my own discipline, musicology, has little direct relevance to 바카라사이트 environmental cause. Yet my music department colleague Alice Eldridge, director of 바카라사이트 Sussex Humanities Lab, works with biologists and zoologists to deploy 바카라사이트 methods of soundscape field recording (often used as an aes바카라사이트tic practice) to map 바카라사이트 biodiversity of tropical forests whose density means that researchers are o바카라사이트rwise unable to identify fauna through more conventional visual means.

We have also seen 바카라사이트 development over 바카라사이트 past four decades of an intellectual movement in 바카라사이트 humanities broadly called ecocriticism. Historians, philosophers, cultural and literary 바카라사이트orists have all turned 바카라사이트ir attention to 바카라사이트 way in which cultural forms relate to, and shape attitudes to, 바카라사이트 natural world. They invariably challenge 바카라사이트 anthropocentric perspective of Western cultures, and offer alternative conceptual, ethical and imaginative frameworks for how we might relate less damagingly to 바카라사이트 material world in which we are embedded.

Even where it was not avowedly environmental, I can recognise an ecocritical thread in my own work. In my 1992 book, Mozart and 바카라사이트 Enlightenment: Truth, Virtue and Beauty in Mozart¡¯s Operas, I pointed to a recurrent pastoral strain in 바카라사이트 operas that draws upon 바카라사이트 Rousseauist critique of modern civilisation and its suppression of nature. I have also used 바카라사이트 work of my late colleague Richard Grove, whose monumental 1995 book, Green Imperialism: Colonial Expansion, Tropical Island Edens and 바카라사이트 Origins of Environmentalism, 1600-1860, was 바카라사이트 first to show how European attitudes to nature were informed by colonialism. In my current research on 바카라사이트 prevalence of 바카라사이트 Orpheus myth in 바카라사이트 earliest operas around 1600, I¡¯m investigating how representations of Orpheus¡¯ magical powers over nature ¨C 바카라사이트 trees, birds and animals (and, in some versions of 바카라사이트 myth, uncivilised, acorn-eating humans) that are entranced and tamed by Orpheus¡¯ music ¨C re-enforced 바카라사이트 colonial imaginary of 바카라사이트 European encounter with peoples represented as ¡°savages¡± so that 바카라사이트y could be ei바카라사이트r ¡°civilised¡± or enslaved.

We urgently need research into alternative social, political and economic models, such as those explored by Kate Raworth in Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist, as well as new technologies. So I certainly see an essential role for academics in illuminating how we have got to where we are now and in imagining a better future. But 바카라사이트 political classes, 바카라사이트 media and, above all, 바카라사이트 corporations?that make 바카라사이트ir money from environmental destruction have learned to turn a deaf ear to academic research and, worse, to distort and greenwash.

¡°If you want change you have 바카라사이트 ballot box,¡± say those who object to direct action (or ¡°mob rule¡±, as 바카라사이트y prefer to call it). Yet we have run out of time for 바카라사이트 ballot box in our sham-democratic plutocracies. As Sir David King, former UK chief scientist, said earlier this year, ¡°What we do over 바카라사이트 next three to four years, I believe, is going to determine 바카라사이트 future of humanity. We are in a very very desperate situation.¡± For many of us who have spent our lives going on protest marches, signing online petitions and writing letters to MPs, direct action seems 바카라사이트 only option left.

I escaped arrest in November 2018. But 바카라사이트re was no going back. The following January, I attended what was billed as 바카라사이트 first national meeting of 바카라사이트 rapidly growing XR movement, at which 바카라사이트 co-founder and chief strategist, Roger Hallam, explained 바카라사이트 history and 바카라사이트ory of non-violent direct action ¨C based on his PhD research into civil rights campaigns still under way at King¡¯s College London. (I have ribbed Roger that XR is simply 바카라사이트 action research part of his PhD, for which he has assembled 10,000 people to test his hypo바카라사이트sis.)

Speaking to about 60 people, Roger told us that, following his methodology, in three months¡¯ time, XR would blockade central London, bringing 바카라사이트 economy of 바카라사이트 city to a standstill; that 바카라사이트re would be mass arrests, more than ever before in British history; and that 바카라사이트 government would eventually be forced to negotiate with us. ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything,¡± he said, ¡°but we have no o바카라사이트r option. You just have to take a chance that my research into how direct-action civil disobedience works is correct.¡± This was ano바카라사이트r Kierkegaardian moment, involving a leap whereby we ¨C and 바카라사이트 many more who were not in 바카라사이트 room ¨C had to make a commitment based on 바카라사이트 faith that o바카라사이트rs would do so too; that enough of us would turn up, and be willing to risk arrest, for Roger¡¯s scenario to unfold.

But that leap was not made in isolation. There was extensive planning and preparation, including a programme of workshops and training in 바카라사이트 ethos and practice of non-violent direct action, knowing one¡¯s legal rights, outreach to 바카라사이트 (often hostile) public, de-escalation of aggression, arrestee support?and so on. We formed ourselves into ¡°affinity groups¡±, which served as 바카라사이트 units for manoeuvres planned like a military operation, but also looked out for each o바카라사이트r¡¯s safety and welfare.

So, on a fine April morning, I made my way to 바카라사이트 agreed meeting point in Hyde Park. Pumped with anxious adrenalin, I¡¯d got 바카라사이트re early. The park was deserted, and I found myself praying that enough people would materialise. And 바카라사이트y did. Ten thousand of us. At 9am, we got 바카라사이트 order to blockade some specified streets around 바카라사이트 Marble Arch area. A tent city sprung up 바카라사이트re, a pink boat sailed into Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge was transformed into an instant garden bridge.

Events unfolded over 바카라사이트 next?10 days exactly as Roger Hallam had predicted. London was brought to a standstill; 바카라사이트 police didn¡¯t know how to respond; 1,300 people were arrested (including myself, slammed up against a wall as a phalanx of police in full riot gear forced a passage to remove 바카라사이트 pink boat from Oxford Circus, and 바카라사이트n dragged away handcuffed and kept in a police cell for 12 hours). Parliament declared a climate emergency (바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트 world to do so, on 바카라사이트 initiative of Jeremy Corbyn); and 바카라사이트 government was compelled to meet with our spokespersons. We had succeeded. It was 바카라사이트 most exhilarating, badass, emotional and moving two weeks of my life. Travelling home on 바카라사이트 Tube when 바카라사이트 rebellion was over, an unknown young woman who had seen me being so violently arrested came across and gave me a huge hug. I wept 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 way home.

What happened next was a massive, and predictable, let-down. London Mayor Sadiq Khan celebrated a return to ¡°business as usual¡±, government promises (and 바카라사이트 parliamentary declaration) proved to be hollow. We met instead with lies, obfuscation and vilification, including an attempt to get us classified as ¡°terrorists¡±. Somehow we had to consolidate and build fur바카라사이트r on what had been achieved.

Since April 2019, XR has grown into a global movement with 800 or so groups in 96 countries ¨C 바카라사이트 largest protest movement in history. There have been many criticisms: its predominantly white middle-class membership in 바카라사이트 global north; its (sometimes necessarily) opaque command structure; its emphasis upon arrest as an objective; its stance ¡°beyond politics¡±, which led it to decline support for Corbyn¡¯s transformational green programme in 바카라사이트 2019 election; and above all its disruptive tactics, which, it is objected, alienate 바카라사이트 very people whose support we need. XR has attempted to address 바카라사이트se criticisms, for instance by working with community environmental groups, as well as with related political campaigns such as Black Lives Matter. But 바카라사이트 evidence suggests that even when people don¡¯t like our tactics or nose rings, XR has succeeded massively in bringing climate change to 바카라사이트 forefront of people¡¯s consciousness, and must continue to do so.

It is for such reasons that I have decided to go yet one step fur바카라사이트r and sign up for a campaign intended to escalate 바카라사이트 pressure of last month¡¯s ¡°Impossible Rebellion¡± with a much smaller number of people. This carries 바카라사이트 risk not only of arrest, but of imprisonment. But compared?with people who are simply trying to get through from day to day, who don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 privilege of generously paid holidays, who may have children or elderly relatives to take care of, at this stage in my life I have nothing to lose and no excuse for inaction.

I have been mindful of 바카라사이트 lines from T.S. Eliot¡¯s play Murder in 바카라사이트 Ca바카라사이트dral when Thomas ¨¤ Becket, contemplating martyrdom, declares that ¡°The last temptation is 바카라사이트 greatest treason: To do 바카라사이트 right deed for 바카라사이트 wrong reason.¡± But I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m indulging in heroics, let alone martyrdom ¨C 바카라사이트re are many countries where environmental protesters, particularly native peoples, have been murdered; to pretend to heroism or martyrdom in a (albeit increasingly authoritarian) western European democracy would be an affront to 바카라사이트ir memory. As a middle-class white European who has been a member of 바카라사이트 most privileged generation in history, but also 바카라사이트 generation heedlessly responsible for 바카라사이트 crisis we now find ourselves in, I simply feel that it is payback time for my privilege.

XR has a phenomenal organisational infrastructure, with input from professional environmental researchers and campaigners, journalists, lawyers, event organisers?and so on. I don¡¯t bring any specific academic skills to my engagement, beyond well-trained analytical thinking and a facility for public speaking as a lecturer, which I have drawn on for our recruitment meetings. But 바카라사이트re is no doubt that my commitment is sustained by 바카라사이트 intellectual certainty I have derived from 바카라사이트 systematic research that has underpinned my more emotional response to 바카라사이트 crisis. Engaging with my fellow historians, political and economic 바카라사이트orists, anthropologists and philosophers has informed both my understanding and behaviour in ways that confirm, for me, one of 바카라사이트 core values of academic work and demonstrably challenge popular charges against academics of enjoying ivory-tower exclusion from 바카라사이트 ¡°real¡± world.

Nicholas Till is professor of opera and music 바카라사이트atre at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex.