Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist)
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fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist)
@fisherdanar.bsky.social
26K followers 2.5K following 4.4K posts

Director, Center for Environment Community, & Equity and Professor, AU | NonRes Sr Fellow, Brookings | IPCCWG3 AR6 | www.danarfisher.com | TED Talk on Saving Ourselves: go.ted.com/danarfisher

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Dana R. Fisher is an American sociologist, professor of sociology, public speaker, and author. She is the director of the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity and a professor in the School of International Service at American University. Her areas of research and expertise are activism, democracy, the climate crisis, and environmental policy. .. more

Political science 27%
Environmental science 23%
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fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · Nov 19
My TED Talk on Saving Ourselves is OUT! Tune in to learn why we ALL need to be apocalyptic optimists: Prepared for the climate shocks that are coming and ready to rally as activists, disruptors, and bridge-builders to save ourselves from the climate crisis. go.ted.com/danarfisher

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

katharinehayhoe.com
Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 17h
The COP30 climate conference wrapped up on Sat and we have thoughts!

@amywestervelt.bsky.social, @fisherdanar.bsky.social and I discuss the bad news--how the COP30 agreement didn't mention fossil fuels, the good news--new opportunities for climate policy, and the overall utility of global meetings.
Ep.5: Early PostMortem on COP30
Podcast Episode · The COPOut Podcast · 11/24/2025 · 55m
podcasts.apple.com

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 18h
😊

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Dana R. Fisher

manupaoletti.bsky.social
Emanuela Paoletti @manupaoletti.bsky.social · 18h
Amazing conversation on COP30 with @katharinehayhoe.com, @amywestervelt.bsky.social and @fisherdanar.bsky.social: cece.american.edu/copout-episo...
COPOut Episode 5: Early PostMortem on COP30 - Center for Environment, Community, & Equity (CECE)
In our fifth episode of the COPOut Podcast, Dr. Dana R. Fisher talks with two amazing climate communicators to unpack the significance of the outcome of the COP30 round of the climate negotiations. Tu...
cece.american.edu

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Dana R. Fisher

gregsargent.bsky.social
Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 21h
Breaking: Judge just dismissed prosecutions of James Comey and Letitia James on grounds that Trump stooge prosecutor was unlawfully appointed.

This has relevance for the whole debate over Trump giving "illegal orders." Very possible that Trump's commands for prosecutions are unlawful ones.
gregsargent.bsky.social Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 3d
What about Trump's corrupt orders to DOJ to prosecute his enemies? Here it's complex, but there are scenarios in which these orders could be illegal. His lackeys might be breaking the law in carrying them out.

Legal expert @kristyparker.bsky.social explains here:

newrepublic.com/article/2035...

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 22h
For anyone interested in some of the findings from the George Floyd protests, here's our piece from @pnas.org www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Intersectionality within the racial justice movement in the summer of 2020 | PNAS
In an environment that is high in racial justice saliency, how do identities inform motivation for supporting specific issues in the crowd? This st...
www.pnas.org

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 22h
😊 We're definitely seeing younger folks participate in higher percentages in cities that are fighting federal occupation and pushing back to ICE. I don't know of anyone who has been collecting formal data since these networks are being coordinated in secret and on Signal.

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 22h
We have never pooled all the data to do that analysis to assess the level of statistical significance, but it could be done, and it's definitely a notable difference.

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 22h
Well, based on data we collected during the wave of protest after post-George Floyd was murdered, it is very clear that the people in the streets were much younger than the participants in the large-scale peaceful protests during Resistance 1.0. Resistance2.0 is even older, so absolutely true.

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 23h
Happy to see a bunch of our work referenced in this piece by @brendannyhan.bsky.social. The piece provides a good overview of the reasons why young people have not be participating in these performative days of peaceful activism, but they HAVE been protesting in other ways during Trump2.0.
brendannyhan.bsky.social Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d
My @nytimes.com op-ed: The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o... (gift link)

The key point: "The absence of young people from conventional protests is both a problem and a warning."
Opinion | The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z?
www.nytimes.com

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d
Yup. This is a link to the No Kings 1 day data from June. At NoKings2.0, participation continued to be predominantly female, white, highly educated and middle aged (mean was 46 in DC and the median was 44--so older than the first day of action in June). danarfisher.com/2025/10/23/n...
NoKings 2.0 Brings Joyful Resistance Across the US
On October 18th, a coalition of left-leaning political groups coordinated a second national day-of-action to declare that the US has No Kings.  Almost 3,000 events took place across the US during t…
danarfisher.com

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

nstenhouse.bsky.social
Neil Stenhouse @nstenhouse.bsky.social · 1d
@fisherdanar.bsky.social has some good data on No Kings 2 participants - my impression is that they also broadly found participants were older, though maybe not quite so old in Philadelphia- do I have that right Dana? danarfisher.com/2025/06/15/t...
The Resistance Rises to Declare #NoKings
On June 14th, while Donald Trump held a military parade in our nation’s Capitol, millions of people across the US mobilized to protest the actions of the Trump Administration and its policies…
danarfisher.com

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d
Welp, apparently I have 3 Revise and Resubmits due before the end of the year. Gonna be a sprint to the finish I suppose.
a group of female runners are running on a track with the words 5000 meter run on the bottom
ALT: a group of female runners are running on a track with the words 5000 meter run on the bottom
media.tenor.com

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d
Ouch Kevin!

Reposted by Norbert Schwarz, Philip N. Cohen, Jacob Montgomery , and 7 more

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d
My @nytimes.com op-ed: The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/o... (gift link)

The key point: "The absence of young people from conventional protests is both a problem and a warning."
Opinion | The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z?
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d
🎙️ Episode 5 of the COPOut Podcast is LIVE! In it, I speak with @katharinehayhoe.com and @amywestervelt.bsky.social about their paths to becoming climate communicators and the significance of the outcome of the COP30 round of the climate negotiations. cece.american.edu/cece-launche...

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d
Check out the full Episode 5 of COPOut with @katharinehayhoe.com and me, which goes live Monday morning! cece.american.edu/cece-launche...

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d
In Episode 5 of the COPOut Podcast, @amywestervelt.bsky.social explains why, in some ways, it was good that the US skipped COP30 and how it cut back on *some* obstruction and opened up opportunities for future potential climate action. So, even with the failures of #COP30, there is still some hope.

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d
Following!

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Julie L. Lockwood

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d
Look at @katharinehayhoe.com channel her apocalyptic optimist as she describes the fossil fuel swan song that we just witnessed at COP30. For the full conversation with @amywestervelt.bsky.social and me, tune into COPOut Episode 5, which airs TOMORROW!

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d
Reposted!

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d
Perfect summary from @amywestervelt.bsky.social right here: COP-tastrophe!! (To hear more from Amy, tune into my conversation with @katharinehayhoe.com and her on #COPOut, which airs tomorrow!). drilled.media/news/COP30-w...
COP-tastrophe: How the COP of Implementation, Truth, Forests, and Indigenous Peoples Failed on All Counts
COP30 began full of promise but ended as yet another reminder that the mechanism for global climate governance is broken.
drilled.media

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d
COP30 concluded just like anyone who's been paying attention should have expected. This article is correct that the outcome of the 2 week meeting on the edge of the Amazon is not "nearly enough to stave off the ravages of climate breakdown." #sigh 🔥🌎🔥 www.theguardian.com/environment/...
End of fossil fuel era inches closer as Cop30 deal agreed after bitter standoff
Wealthy countries should triple funds for countries to tackle climate impacts, but deforestation and critical minerals blocked from final deal
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

americanstudier.bsky.social
Ben Railton @americanstudier.bsky.social · 2d
With the semiquincentennial behind us, launching the next 250 with my 251st #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more below, share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 251 (11/23/25) – Black and White and Read All Over
With the semiquincentennial behind us, launching the next 250 with my 251st #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week...
blackwhiteandread.com

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d
Thanks for flagging (and hi Giulio 👋)--very excited to read and think about how these findings might apply to other contexts and locations!!

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 3d
there used to be a lot more transparency in the climate regime: We used to...back in the good ole days: direct.mit.edu/glep/article...
Understanding Disenfranchisement: Civil Society and Developing Countries' Influence and Participation in Global Governance for Sustainable Development
Abstract. This paper explores the ways in which civil society actors and developing countries are limited in their engagement in global governance for sustainable development. Beginning with the relev...
direct.mit.edu

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

bberwyn.bsky.social
Bob Berwyn @bberwyn.bsky.social · 3d
If this process is ever gonna work, it needs fundamental reform. A starting point would be to NOT have COPs each year, but only when it benefits the process. Otherwise, the outcomes feel forced, like "We better decide something since we all came all this way."
insideclimatenews.org/news/1211202...
Built to Fail: Rules at UN Climate Talks Favor the Status Quo, Not Progress - Inside Climate News
Experts say stifling bureaucratic procedures that are disconnected from the climate crisis have consistently stalled COP negotiations.
insideclimatenews.org

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

bberwyn.bsky.social
Bob Berwyn @bberwyn.bsky.social · 3d
For all its virtue-signaling about transparency, the UNFCCC really keeps a tight lid on things. The transparency, like so many other aspects of the process, is performative, because we NEVER get to see the discussions that really matter at COP30 or any other COP.

Reposted by Juan Cole, Dana R. Fisher, Halley E. Froehlich , and 1 more

waiterich.bsky.social
Richard Waite @waiterich.bsky.social · 3d
“Even if fossil fuel emissions were eliminated immediately, emissions from the global food system alone would make it impossible to limit warming to 1.5°C and difficult even to realize the 2°C target…major changes in how food is produced [and consumed] are needed…”

fisherdanar.bsky.social
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 3d
Right?!?

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

amywestervelt.bsky.social
Amy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · 3d
bahahahahahaha a perfect moment to tease the ep 🤣