A Greenhouse research talk by Jenna Coughlin. All are welcome.
In recent years, Nordic literature and media have reflected a growing interest in energy and its role in society. In this talk, I present findings from my ongoing study of the representation of hydropower development in especially Norwegian literature and film. I explain how recent examples of literature and film engage, either intentionally or not, with historical examples of hydropower media, as they attempt to make meaning of contemporary energy dilemmas. I argue that there is striking continuity in the portrayal of the environmental justice issues associated with energy development and their social and emotional consequences, and explore how such texts make a case for the role that literature and film can play in promoting critical energy literacy.
Jenna Coughlin (she/her) is Associate Professor of Norwegian at St. Olaf College, where she is also affiliated with Environmental Studies. She has published research on the relationship between language, nature, and climate in Norwegian poetry and led an undergraduate research project on international responses to youth climate activism. She is currently a 2025-2026 Fulbright Scholar hosted at the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Oslo.