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
Introducing a series of proposals for a truly transformative GND The Green New Deal is on everyone’s lips and policy platforms. Liberal pundit Thomas Friedman coined the term in 2007, and Left parties in the UK called for a Green New Deal during the recession that followed the 2008 global financial crash. Last year, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez rebooted the idea in the United Sta...
The next International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity will start on the 30th of August 2016 in Budapest. To take actively part in the conference one can now follow the call for special sessions or one of the the other calls yet to come. There are two special session formats one for “academic special sessions” and one for “degrowth-in-action special sessio...
By Jeremy Cardonna et al, originally published by the Resilience Blog A group known as the “ecomodernists,” which includes prominent environmental thinkers and development specialists such as Ted Nordhaus, Michael Shellenberger, Stewart Brand, David Keith, and Joyashree Roy has recently published a statement of principles called An Ecomodernist Manifesto (2015). Many of the authors of the Ma...
