In recent decades, the growth dependency of capitalist economies has increasingly become object of critique. More and more voices are calling for a radical break with this growth logic, not least for reasons of ecological and social sustainability. Degrowth as a prominent critique of growth, however, goes beyond a purely economic transformational concept, as it offers a vision of a different society. A society that abandons growth would have to be based on completely different economic, social, cultural and political conditions.
This theme week on Degrowth focuses on “paths into transition”. It specifically addresses opportunities and approaches for a planned, democratic, and peaceful transition to an economy without growth dependency. We aim to discuss central questions such as which actors can promote such a transition; what challenges they confront; and how to avoid provoking new crises and cleavages.
We will problematize the concept of Degrowth with regard to three dimensions that require a postcolonial perspective. First, a common critique claims that although degrowth or post-growth may be conceivable in the rich countries of the Global North, they ignore the material and social realities of the Global South. In this sense, degrowth concepts have to engage with the allegation of Eurocentrism. A second focus is on work, because a reorganization of work and the societal division of labour seems to be crucial for any transition towards degrowth. Here, feminist perspectives in particular help to overcome the old yet still influential juxtaposition between productive employment and unproductive care work. Thirdly, degrowth is not least about a different understanding of nature. The Western subject-object dualism has been criticized many times, and we want to ask to what extent experiences from North and South can contribute to a different understanding of nature.
In the digital theme week, renowned experts will discuss these questions with us, in which theoretical as well as practical-activist questions go hand in hand.
Program:
20.01.2022: 10:00 - 12:00 a.m. (CET): Vandana Shiva
(Title to follow soon)
Comment: Andrea Vetter
Discussion
21.01.2022: 10:00 - 12:00 a.m. (CET): Jason Hickel
"Imperialism and the Degrowth Imperative"
Comment: Federico Demaria
Discussion
27.01.2022: 10:00 - 12:00 a.m. (CET): Ashish Kothari and Shrishtee Bajpai
"Eco-swaraj: Radical Ecological Democracy towards Justice and Sustainability"
Comment: Christine Löw
Discussion
28.01.2022: 10:00 - 12:00 a.m. (CET): Ariel Salleh
"Subliminal Economies"
Comment: Ana Carballo
Discussion
Registration:
Please register by sending an e-mail to: zukuenfte.der.nachhaltigkeit@uni-hamburg.de
Registered participants will receive the Zoom access details shortly before the Conference. Until then, we kindly ask for your patience.
Organization: Prof. Dr. Frank Adloff / Dr. Philipp Degens / Dr. Sarah Lenz
By Christiane Kliemann Right before the recent UN climate change summit and shortly after the Leipzig Degrowth-Conference, international media, governments and the United Nations enthusiastically welcomed a new report entitled “Better Growth, Better Climate” and trumpeted its central message around the globe: that economic growth and tackling climate change can go hand in hand. While the repo...
By Ashish Kothari As it becomes abundantly clear that humanity as a whole has crossed the ecological limits of the earth, and that countries like China and India are fast joining the already-industrialised nations in stressing the planet even more, the search for radical alternatives is humanity’s most urgent quest. There is no doubt that, as [...]
This article is written by Claudia Gómez-Portugal in the scope of the Stream towards Degrowth. As a Mexican activist and promoter of social change she founded the organization SAKBE – Commons for Social Change and the Free Learning Communities for Life Initiative – and commits herself to developing communication strategies for social change, effective participation, [...]
