New Possibilities: Young People and Democratic Renewal
Michelle Catanzaro, Dinusha Soo, Luigi Di Martino, Pip Collin, Judith Bessant, Rob Watts, Stewart Jackson, Faith Gordon
WebsiteThis visual display draws together themes and insights from the Australian Research Council Discovery Program Grants (DP230101704) New Possibilities Young People and Democratic Renewal. Project Team: Philippa Collin, Western Sydney University; Judith Bessant and Rob Watts, RMIT; Michelle Catanzaro, Western Sydney University; Stewart Jackson, USyd and Faith Gordon, ANU; Luigi Di Martino, Western Sydney University; Dinusha Soo, Western Sydney University.
This piece brings together data and analysis that has been conducted as a part of the broader project. It explores the significance of young people’s verbal and visual politics through speeches at the protests and the protest placards at Sydney’s School Strike for Climate (SS4C) events (2019-2022). This display aims to challenge popular and scholarly stereotypes about youth protests by emphasising the dynamic nature of each SS4C event, influenced by local and global developments, political emotions, legal changes, political shifts, policies, and institutional contexts.
This project is a result of an interdisciplinary team of researchers across Western Sydney University, RMIT, Sydney University and ANU. Our project includes input from young researchers and high school and University students.
This outcome has been brought together by Michelle Catanzaro, Dinusha Soo and Luigi Di Martino.
If you would like to know more about the project, please get in touch via Luigi Di Martino l.dimartino@westernsydney.edu.au
Michelle Catanzaro
Michelle Catanzaro is a creative director, researcher and design Academic at Western Sydney University. Michelle leads the collection and analysis of visual artefacts in this study. An award winning teacher, design practitioner and expert in the role of visual communication in youth contexts. Michelle’s current practice focuses on creating space for young people to draw on creativity and visual language to express their own cultural, political and social ideals.
Dinusha Soo
Dinusha Soo is in her last year studying Bachelor of Design - Visual Communication (Dean's scholars). As a design researcher, Dinusha is particularly passionate about issues relating to sustainability and social advocacy. In 2021 Dinusha won the 'highly commended' Vice-Chancellors Excellence Award for Excellence in University engagement and Sustainability. She has been working as a Research assistant and student scholar for the New Possibilities project.
Luigi Di Martino
Luigi Di Martino is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the YRRC. His research investigates the use of social media un public and political communication, with a focus on developing and theorising ethical online listening and monitoring approaches through social media analysis. Luigi brings expertise to the project in digital communication, digital methods and data visualisation.