Webinar - Does the Global South Need to Grow?

Leading up to the 18th conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics and the 11th International Degrowth conference in Oslo 24th to 27th of June 2025. This webinar series organized by the Post Consumption Citizenship Project and the Gemini Centre for Post Growth Futures will share knowledge and discuss interesting topics related to degrowth and post consumption citizenship. 

In this upcoming webinar, panelists will discuss a post-growth future and its implications for regions that have played contrasting roles in the history of colonialism and imperialism.

As growth critique is spreading and degrowth is receiving increased attention, we can observe a divide between those who argue that degrowth is of relevance to rich, overconsuming countries only and those who argue that leaving “the growth society” behind is relevant everywhere. In between, we also find a contract-and-convergence position, holding that the rich need to degrowth to make space for the poor to grow.

Given the long history of colonialism and imperialism, proposals about leaving growth behind, both in the South as well as in the North, can be seen as very provocative, implying that the South should not be allowed to obtain the same material privileges as the North already has. On the other hand, forcing capitalism and growth society upon the rest of the world can also be seen as a (new) form of colonialism, a topic thoroughly explored in the post-development literature.

How can we manoeuvre between these various considerations or dilemmas?

Tone Smith (Independent scholar, ecological economist, and degrowth-activist), will present arguments for leaving growth society behind everywhere, based on ecological economics theory and the original French degrowth (décroissance) thinking of Gorz, Latouche and others. Professor Rajeswari S. Raina (Professor of political economy, Shiv Nadar University) will comment from a global South perspective.

For more information and the link to join the webinar series click HERE