Both in research and outside, I recognise my positionality as a white, cis male, born and raised in the UK with a British passport, and first language English. These privileges shape how I see and engage with the world, including my academic work, and artistic and design practices. My formal education, including an MA from the Royal College of Art, and my professional role at UAL as Lecturer in Creative Communication, further situate me within specific cultural and institutional frameworks.
I have never lived outside the UK for more than six months, which limits my understanding of the intersectional oppressions faced by those most impacted by climate change. This geographic and experiential gap means I can only engage with these global issues from a detached, privileged position — something that others, particularly those directly affected by extractivism, neo-colonialism, and extreme climate breakdown, may not have the luxury to do. I recognise that my ability to engage reflexively rather than out of literal immediacy is a key dynamic in my practice, research, and general being.
As Jamieson et al. (2023) explains, reflexivity is the process of critically examining one’s beliefs, assumptions, and judgments, then considering how these influence the research process. In my case, this involves recognising that my understanding of climate justice is shaped by a Western, Eurocentric, institutional lens, influenced by my position within the UK academic system. This awareness encourages me to critically engage and reflect on the inherent intersectional power dynamics at play, which present across global inequalities.
My teaching, which focuses on digital technologies, graphic communication, and moving image, intersects with global inequalities linked to climate change. As explored briefly in the contextualisation of this project, the digital tools and platforms I both use and teach contribute to environmental harm that disproportionately affects the global majority/global south. The energy consumption, material extractivism, and broader impacts of these systems are thankfully emerging as an important discussion in academic and social contexts, this work, which I admit is quite minor and insignificant, hopefully sets the ground for further work.
In summary, my positionality provides both privileged insight and very real situational limitations. By acknowledging these converging, layered, and interwoven paths, I aim to approach my work and existence with sensitivity and awareness to the lived realities of those most affected by global climate injustice.
Jamieson, M.K., Govaart, G.H. and Pownall, M. (2023). Reflexivity in Quantitative research: a Rationale and beginner’s Guide. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 17(4), pp.1–15. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12735.