Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

International Affairs

Advisor(s)

Michael Grillo

Committee Members

Adam Küykendall, Melissa Ladenheim, Michael Socolow

Graduation Year

May 2023

Publication Date

Spring 2023

Abstract

Fossil fuel divestment is central to the discourse surrounding climate change, nevertheless, it is a movement driven by student activists and it is a sign of institutional change at a global scale. Climate Action at the University of Maine, written and directed by Santiago Tijerina and created in collaboration with the University of Maine and the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR), is a documentary short film driven by the research objective of understanding the rise of student activism at the University of Maine and the recent decision of the Board of Trustees to divest from fossil fuels.

The subject matter of the documentary short film, Climate Action at the University of Maine, seeks to explore human dimensions of climate change and to advocate for important causes related to climate change in Maine. Climate Action at the University of Maine focuses on fossil fuel divestment as a climate action-based solution; thus, it promotes fossil fuel divestment as a broader movement.

As a media advocacy project that will be used as a catalyst for change, this documentary short film seeks to amplify the mission of “University of Maine Climate Action” (UMCA), formerly known as, “Divest UMS.” This documentary short film engages with ethical visual storytelling and qualitative research methods while also adhering to the traditional framework of documentary filmmaking (i.e., pre-production, production, post-production) as it features interviews with student activists, local community leaders and political figures, as well as the voice of a Distinguished Maine Professor.

Rights and Access Note

Copyright 2023 Tijerina All Rights Reserved

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