The generativity of feminist and environmental cartoons for environmental education research and teaching

Abstract

This article brings together a feminist environmentalist cartoonist with a feminist environmental educator in an exploration of the generativity of cartoons in environmental education research and teaching. Using duoethnography as a methodology, and drawing on critical and new materialist feminist theory, we explore our personal memories, stories, and conversations, as well as discussing the origins and/or significance of particular cultural artefacts (some of Judy’s cartoons), to illuminate the reasons for, and influences on, our engagement with cartoons, feminism, the environment, and formal environmental education. Drawing on a range of literature around humour and environmental education and feminism, juxtaposed with our conversations and the cartoons, we also seek to identify some possible ways of measuring what impact or influence cartoons about the environment might have once they are in the world, thereby exploring their generativity in environmental education research, theorizing and practice.

Keywords:

• Cartoons
• feminism
• environment
• environmental education
• duoethnography
• feminist theory

Acknowledgements

Judy and Annette acknowledge and pay respects to the Traditional Custodians of Melbourne/Naarm, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin nation, on whose unceded lands they live and work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

Notes

1 While this is not the place to make comparisons, we do note similarities between collaborative writing as a method of inquiry as used by Ken Gale, Jonathan Wyatt, and others including Annette Gough and Noel Gough (see e.g. Gale & Wyatt 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021; Gough & Gough 2017; Wyatt & Gale 2011, 2018; Wyatt et al. 2010, 2011, 2017; Wyatt et al., 2014) and duoethnography as a methodology we are implementing here.

2 The albedo effect is an expression of the ability of surfaces to reflect sunlight (heat from the sun). Light-coloured surfaces return a large part of the sunrays back to the atmosphere (high albedo). Dark surfaces absorb the rays from the sun (low albedo). This has a significant impact on our climate. The lower the albedo, the more radiation from the sun that gets absorbed by the planet, and temperatures will rise. If the albedo is higher, and the Earth is more reflective, more of the radiation is returned to space, and the planet cools.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Annette Gough

Annette Gough is Professor Emerita of Science and Environmental Education in the School of Education at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. She has been an adjunct/visiting professor at universities in Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong, and is a Life Fellow of the Australian Association for Environmental Education (since 1992). She has led research and development projects funded by the Australian and Victorian governments and non-government bodies, worked with UNESCO, UNEP and UNESCO-UNEVOC, and has been co-editor of the Australian Journal of Environmental Education. She has over 150 publications and is an editorial board member for the Australian Journal of Environmental Education, Environmental Education Research and the Journal of Biological Education and co-editor of the Springer book series International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education. Her research interests span environmental, sustainability and science education, research methodologies, posthuman and gender studies.

Judy Horacek

Judy Horacek is a freelance Australian cartoonist, writer and illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia. Her cartoons have been published widely in newspapers, journals and books both in Australia and overseas, including The Age, The Australian, The Canberra Times and Ms Magazine and has appeared in hundreds of books and journals and campaigns. She has published ten collections of her cartoons and has twice been shortlisted for the Walkley Award for Best Cartoon. Judy also creates children’s picture books, both on her own and with Mem Fox, including the incredibly successful Where is the Green Sheep? She has an Honours Arts degree from Melbourne University in Fine Arts and English Literature, and an Arts Degree in Printmaking and Drawing from the Australian National University. She regularly exhibits her watercolours and limited edition prints.