Talking salmon? Learning to tell relational and critical stories
Why Salmon Matters
The journey of wild, migrating salmon offers a unique perspective through which to view the intricate relationship between nature and humanity in the Anthropocene. Whilst the global expansion of fish farming – from Norway to Canada to Chile – is often praised for its potential benefits to health, sustainability and climate change mitigation, it also warrants close scrutiny due to its significant impact on dwindling wild salmon populations. The ‘talking salmon’ project explores this duality, recognising farmed salmon as both a celebrated ‘green solution’ and a subject of intense debate.
A Holistic Look at Salmonids
Supported by the “OKEANOS – Foundation for the Sea”, this project delves into all conceivable “green” and relational aspects of salmonids. Salmon, whether as a species or an industry, is a central figure in stories encompassing both heroism and tragedy. Recognising this, the project aimed to launch a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to equip students, journalists, NGOs, policymakers and activists with ideas and tools to tell relational and critical ecological stories – about migrating fish as well as all other species that connect ecosystems such as the sea and land.
From this perspective, indigenous narratives and stories become a crucial source of inspiration for the research and development process, leading to stories that reconnect us – with the living world, its species and, ultimately, ourselves – in a context of climate disaster and species extinction.
This initiative regards salmon as a powerful case study for broader, holistic and relational perspectives. It constructively examines ‘green salmon’ and its connections to the comprehensive visions found in nature writing and the emerging field of climate journalism, fostering ‘hope, efficacy and agency’ (Hackett et al., 2017). Crucially, the project also maintains a critical stance, exploring everything from luxury tourism centred around wild salmon in pristine Icelandic rivers to the persistent challenges posed by sea lice in fish farming – hence the evocative question mark in “talking salmon”.
Our Core Objectives & Approach
The project pursued four interconnected main objectives:
- Field Research & New Narratives: We undertook field trips to wild salmon rivers in Finland, Norway, Canada and Germany. Our aim was to observe and interview local residents – from tourism operators to indigenous communities – to produce ‘relational stories’ featuring new narratives that transcend the traditional divide between humans and nature. (Prof. Dr Torsten Schäfer was responsible for the deliverables under this objective).
- Media Analysis & Case Studies: Through extensive media studies, we identified and compared narratives of “talking salmon” in Canadian and Norwegian media, resulting in a scientific paper on this comparison. Additionally, we selected compelling relational and/or critical stories from various countries to serve as case studies for a wider audience.
- Developing a Transformative MOOC: We developed a comprehensive MOOC, integrating all the resources gathered during the first two phases. The primary aim was to demonstrate innovative ways and forms of relational and critical storytelling tailored to diverse target groups.
- Empowering Storytellers: Building on our research and in preparation for the MOOC, we showcased practical teaching methods. These methods are designed to empower stakeholders – including journalists, activists and policymakers – to develop their own powerful ‘talking salmon’ stories. The MOOC will be integrated into academic courses at both Darmstadt and OsloMet.
Looking Ahead: Fostering Sustainable Communication
The “Talking Salmon” project successfully brought together a wealth of resources and developed a unique educational platform. By combining in-depth field research with critical media analysis and innovative teaching methods, we aimed to foster a more nuanced and impactful approach to sustainability communication. The MOOC stands as a key outcome, providing valuable tools for anyone looking to engage with the complex and urgent stories of our planet’s wild and farmed salmon.
Why Salmon Matters
The journey of wild, migrating salmon offers a unique perspective through which to view the intricate relationship between nature and humanity in the Anthropocene. Whilst the global expansion of fish farming – from Norway to Canada to Chile – is often praised for its potential benefits to health, sustainability and climate change mitigation, it also warrants close scrutiny due to its significant impact on dwindling wild salmon populations. The ‘talking salmon’ project explores this duality, recognising farmed salmon as both a celebrated ‘green solution’ and a subject of intense debate.
A Holistic Look at Salmonids
Supported by the “OKEANOS – Stiftung für das Meer”, this project delves into all conceivable “green” and relational aspects of salmonids. Salmon, whether as a species or an industry, is a central figure in stories encompassing both heroism and tragedy. Recognising this, the project aimed to launch a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to equip students, journalists, NGOs, policymakers and activists with ideas and tools to tell relational and critical ecological stories – about migrating fish as well as all other species that connect ecosystems such as the sea and land.
From this perspective, indigenous narratives and stories become a crucial source of inspiration for the research and development process, leading to stories that reconnect us – with the living world, its species and, ultimately, ourselves – in a context of climate disaster and species extinction.
This initiative regards salmon as a powerful case study for broader, holistic and relational perspectives. It constructively examines ‘green salmon’ and its connections to the comprehensive visions found in nature writing and the emerging field of climate journalism, fostering ‘hope, efficacy and agency’ (Hackett et al., 2017). Crucially, the project also maintains a critical stance, exploring everything from luxury tourism centred around wild salmon in pristine Icelandic rivers to the persistent challenges posed by sea lice in fish farming – hence the evocative question mark in “talking salmon”.
Our Core Objectives & Approach
The project pursued four interconnected main objectives:
• Field Research & New Narratives: We undertook field trips to wild salmon rivers in Finland, Norway, Canada and Germany. Our aim was to observe and interview local residents – from tourism operators to indigenous communities – to produce ‘relational stories’ featuring new narratives that transcend the traditional divide between humans and nature. (Prof. Dr Torsten Schäfer was responsible for the deliverables under this objective).
• Media Analysis & Case Studies: Through extensive media studies, we identified and compared narratives of “talking salmon” in Canadian and Norwegian media, resulting in a scientific paper on this comparison. Additionally, we selected compelling relational and/or critical stories from various countries to serve as case studies for a wider audience.
• Developing a Transformative MOOC: We developed a comprehensive MOOC, integrating all the resources gathered during the first two phases. The primary aim was to demonstrate innovative ways and forms of relational and critical storytelling tailored to diverse target groups.
• Empowering Storytellers: Building on our research and in preparation for the MOOC, we showcased practical teaching methods. These methods are designed to empower stakeholders – including journalists, activists and policymakers – to develop their own powerful ‘talking salmon’ stories. The MOOC will be integrated into academic courses at both Darmstadt and OsloMet.
Looking Ahead: Fostering Sustainable Communication
The “Talking Salmon” project successfully brought together a wealth of resources and developed a unique educational platform. By combining in-depth field research with critical media analysis and innovative teaching methods, we aimed to foster a more nuanced and impactful approach to sustainability communication. The MOOC stands as a key outcome, providing valuable tools for anyone looking to engage with the complex and urgent stories of our planet’s wild and farmed salmon.