Human Emotions in a Poly-Crisis: Effective NGO Campaigning with Diya Deb @ MindWorks
Summary
How can nonprofit organizations leverage human emotions to enhance the impact of their campaigns?
What can NGOs learn from cognitive science to create more effective, empathetic communication strategies during a time of poly-crisis?
How can organizations shift from traditional advocacy approaches to more agile, psychology-driven methods for mobilizing communities?
In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Diya Deb, Executive Director at MindWorks Lab, about harnessing the power of cognitive science to transform nonprofit campaigning in today's challenging landscape.
Diya's Bio:
Executive Director of MindWorks Lab, a global cognitive science innovation lab incubated at Greenpeace
Nearly two decades of experience in grassroots and international nonprofit leadership
Former Campaign Director at Greenpeace India and Amnesty International India
Led global youth mobilization efforts alongside Indian Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi
Co-founder of PowerSouth, an initiative focused on amplifying women's leadership in grassroots movements
Advisor to multiple nonprofits on strategy, advocacy, and decolonizing research practices
We Discuss:
Diya reflects on how MindWorks has grown since its early days within Greenpeace, evolving from theoretical frameworks to hands-on applications in the field.
Diya highlights the urgency of adapting campaigning strategies to the current era of poly-crises, where overlapping global challenges are exhausting communities and donors alike.
MindWorks has pivoted to focus on the role of emotions like anger and powerlessness in shaping people's responses to crises, drawing on new case studies from India and Indonesia.
Diya explains how MindWorks seeks to decolonize research practices, shifting away from Global North-centric methodologies by grounding their work in diverse cultural contexts, especially in East Asia.
The conversation explores MindWorks’ unique approach to agile campaigning, emphasizing rapid experimentation and applying cognitive science insights to their own internal operations.
Diya shares her thoughts on the implications of this research for philanthropy, urging funders to shift towards more adaptive, emotionally resonant approaches to support nonprofit campaigns.
Quotes:
“Doomsday communications have clearly proven not to work”
“We focus on social empathy as an enabler for activism”
Resources:
MindWorks Lab Website
Diya Deb's LinkedIn Profile
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