Participants: Therese Asplund, Linköping University, Anna Emmelin, Stockholm University and Albaeco, and independent artist Maria Magdolna Beky Winnerstam

Many initiatives, art works and projects indicate, as well as research pinpoint that humans communicate, learn, socialize and interact through stories. Yet, many climate change communication initiatives rely on traditional science communication models in which natural scientific results are communicated, “transferred” or “conveyed” to various audiences. Rather than viewing humans as information processors, this pilot project emphasizes a dialogical approach to communication in which human/culture/nature interactions are seen as central in meaning construction processes. In doing so, the project brings together an interactional approach to communication with literature emphasizing associative and experience‐ based sense making processes including narratives, arguing that while scientists learn via abstract and analytical reasoning, laypeople typically draw on associative reasoning, personal experience and story‐telling. Embracing this knowledge of associative and experience‐ based sense making, this project empirically test and analyze how narratives enable bridge-building between different climate story-telling practices. It particularly addresses farmer narratives on climate maladaptation in Swedish agriculture. This project builds on an ongoing research project that identifies thresholds for climate maladaptation in Nordic Agriculture (project leader Tina Neset).

The project findings were presented at the Conference “Consuming the environment”, in Gävle, 3-5 December, see: http://www.hig.se/Ext/Sv/Om-Hogskolan/Evenemang/Konferenser/Consuming-the-Environment.html