Articles

Creative Activism: Start Here

Suggestions from the Commons Librarians about resources to explore in the Arts & Creativity topic area – to help you bring more art and heart to your social change activities.

Photo of the front cover of the Beautiful Trouble book.

Beautiful Trouble’s Guide to Activism During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Beautiful Trouble principles and creative tactics for activism while the world goes through the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes tactics for building a sense of community and continuing to pressure people in power.

Photo of a mural which shows a person's face obscured by a protective mask with the writing 'I am not a virus'

Coronavirus is a historic trigger event and it needs a movement to respond

Paul Engler makes the case for a mass movement in response to the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrated what people power has achieved in the past to make significant shifts.

Stop Jabiluka Mine banner hanging on cliff rock face

The Jabiluka Blockade – 22 years on

Do you know about one of Australia’s most effective anti-nuclear blockades? The Jabiluka blockade in 1998 stopped the Ranger Uranium Mine in Australia. This article includes the campaign timeline and many further resources.

The art of inclusivity: Using art to welcome new migrant communities

How can you engage different groups in your communities? Run an art project! Dr Tammy Wong ran an art project in 2019 to engage new immigrants in Melbourne – using art as a tool to build inclusivity.

A young man with red hair and wearing glasses points to a blackboard sign titled 'Melbourne Fringe'. His finger points to the 'Sold Out' sticker next to 'Sustainable Standup'.

The Case for Laughter in Social Movements

Comedian and community organiser Maxwell J Smith writes about how our movements and campaigns need art, creativity and laughter.

A group of people stand at the front of a forum. A speaker stands at a podium holding a microphone and wearing traditional Native American clothes. The podium has a brightly coloured fabric laid on top.

Supporting Indigenous Leadership in the Climate Movement

This article looks at connections between Indigenous rights and climate change and the legacies of genocide and oppression. It is directed at non-Indigenous people to encourage better allyship.

A group of young people sit in a group, talking and listening. Includes people of colour and young women wearing hijab.

Supporting Young People’s Activism in the Climate Emergency

Young people are powerful agents of social change! This article includes tips for communicating with young people about the climate crisis and ways to support youth leadership including interrupting age-related oppression.

Three women stand at the front of a group with microphones: a young woman of colour, an older white woman, and a woman photographed from behind.

Healing Our Climate Grief

This article shares perspectives on healing climate grief, including the importance of feeling and releasing feelings and accessing peer support.

school students striking on Melbourne street in 2019

Mass Organising Calls and Webinars

Need to make the most of a hot campaign moment, mobilise people and create local actions? Tips and advice from 3 experts on how to organise mass calls and webinars.

arrows pointing different directions on road

Introducing a New paradigm for Social Change

A collection of writing focused on new paradigms beyond the climate crisis and techniques for catalysing mass commitment to transformative change.

FWD + Organise 2019 Conference Presentations and Papers

A list of presentations and articles from the FWD+Organise conference on organising and digital campaigning held in Sydney, Australia in 2019.

Guide to Barnstorming: Step Up Volunteers Fast!

Barnstorms are large campaign events which activate volunteers and supporters to step up and convene actions. Anita Tang shares the model developed by the Bernie Sanders campaign with suggestions for the Australian context.

11 volunteers standing in rows posing for a photo

Fighting online racist trolls

Laura O’Connell Rapira from ActionStation (Aotearoa New Zealand) ran a workshop at the conference, FWD+Organise 2019, about how their organisation worked with volunteers to tackle the trolls behind online hate.

Creating your Brand Identity

Have you been trying to create and/or build upon your brand identity for a campaign or your organisation? Great tips and a checklist from Principle Co.

Coping with climate change distress

This booklet, drawing on evidence based insights from psychology, offers strategies to cope with the stress of climate change. Includes behavioural, relational, cognitive and emotional coping strategies.

The Climate Change Empowerment Handbook

Engage more effectively with the challenge of climate change with insights from psychology and The Australian Psychological Society.

$Man addressing anti-fracking rally in the Northern Territory, Australia wearing a tshirt that says 'Ban fracking Protect Country' with the logo SEED$

Community Mapping

What is community mapping? Learn from organisers that have used the community mapping model to empower their own communities.

Staying Engaged in the Climate & Bushfire Crisis

A collection of psychological ideas and resources from Psychology for a Safe Climate in response to the 2020 Australian Bushfires.

swiss army tool that represents collaboration and working together with different icons such as hands shaking, hammer, shovel,etc.

Navigating Trauma in Disaster Relief

This guide is for anyone who is experiencing trauma and/or helping people with their trauma. It is by the Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, a grassroots disaster relief network in the US based on the principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and autonomous direct action.

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