On 11–12 March 2024, Pacesetters—the first project within our cluster Cultural and Creative Industries for a Sustainable Climate Transition—organized its kick-off meeting in Trondheim, Norway. For that occasion, participants were asked to present a concept that represents their respective research projects. Joost Raessens discussed the notion of ‘refraction.’

The starting point of his presentation was the idea that media can shape, strengthen, or change the basic dimensions of human experience (or identity): knowing, feeling, imagination, and action. So-called ‘green media’ can promote the development of ecological identities that support environmentalism and ecojustice. To better understand this process, Joost introduced the concept of refraction—the splitting of white light into rainbow colors when passing through a prism—as a ‘travelling concept.’ Transferring this concept from physics to green media studies enables us to understand how specific media not only refract the climate crisis but also define dimensions of change while fostering the formation of progressive ecological identities.