Climate crisis, the Anthropocene and the future: historical thinking in the German climate movement

Abstract

This article examines how historical thinking in the German climate movement incorporates the concepts of the future and the Anthropocene by paying a particular emphasis on Dipesh Chakrabarty’s reflections. Through a qualitative content analysis of journalistic interviews with activists from different political groups, the study explores how these actors conceptualise historical time, predict future scenarios and think historically. The findings highlight that activists often perceive the future as dystopian, grounded in their critique of capitalism and ecological threats. The urgency of climate action is emphasised, particularly in the context of perceived tipping points in planetary and human time. The study suggests that historical thinking in the climate movement is not only about temporal orientation, but also about fostering collective agency aimed at systemic change. This approach challenges the theory of the didactics of history by introducing new ways of integrating future perspectives into historical thinking processes, which are crucial in the Anthropocene.