Storytelling for Environmental Change: Tackling Air Pollution in the Word’s Most Polluted City

This project examines the potential of participatory approaches to storytelling in tackling the catastrophic challenge of urban air pollution confronting India. The study is further situated in the context of New Delhi, the world's most polluted city, and the possibilities and challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to environmental advocacy. The project draws on the fields of media studies, environmental humanities, social movement studies and documentary film practice to propose a collaborative process of co-producing new stories around air pollution. The study envisions an ethically sound and context-specific filmmaking collaboration between grassroots environmental research and advocacy organizations and local documentary filmmakers facilitated by the research team. Overall, the project aims to address the issue of air pollution through clear pathways of impact directed at civil society organisations, governmental agencies, institutional media and the general public.

Dr Pawas Bisht, Keele University; Dr Eva Giraud, Keele University; Dr Sabina Kidwai, Jamia Millia Islamia University, India