Library

Scientific paper • 2014

Transforming the current economic, political and social paradigm through Time Banking

By: Niklas Toivakainen, Ruby van der Wekken

Time Bank, Political Dialogue, Taxation, Solidarity Economy

Scientific paper • 2014

The Dawn of Modern Era: Montaigne and Spinoza as Alternatives to Cartesian Weltanschauung.

By: Pier Luigi Tosi

Abstract: Mechanism is at the origin of the actual economical conception, based on endless growth. It is founded on Descartes's thought, with its strong distinction between mind and material world, continued by Bacon and Newton (as Latouche points out). Some years before and some years after Descartes, Montaigne and Spinoza respectively proposed significantly different conceptions. The French...

Scientific paper • 2014

De-growth approach to the European chemicals management.

By: Oksana Udovyk, Erika Öhlund

Abstract: The number of newly synthesized chemicals is continuously increasing, and many of these are now affecting ecosystems as well as human health. The overall objective of chemical risk assessments and management is to assess and contain the risks associated with the introduction of these chemicals. Evidence shows, however, that chemical assessments fail to live up to this objective....

Scientific paper • 2014

A full life in a degrowth society – the case for an unconditional basic income (UBI) and against modesty

By: Robert Ulmer

unconditional basic income, modesty, sufficiency

Scientific paper • 2014

Sustainable Consumption in Hungary - what is small-footprint-living and can we make it attractive?

By: Edina Vadovics

small-footprint living, change agents, well-being, sustainable lifestyles

Scientific paper • 2014

Equity within Limits: introducing Convergence Mapping and initiatives with Contraction as well as Equity processes

By: Edina Vadovics

Sustainability; Contraction and Convergence

Scientific paper • 2014

An Elephant in the room called overpopulation

By: Merel van der mark

Abstract: Today we have far exceeded the earths carrying capacity with over 7 billion people. But despite the fact that about half of the population daily suffers from hunger, many still believe that Malthus was wrong. Agricultural production has greatly increased due to the green revolution, but production will drop once fossil fuels run out. There seems to be a taboo on the discussion of...

Scientific paper • 2014

Utopias, liminalities and the commons. The case study of Gavdos island.

By: Angelos Varvarousis

Abstract: Gavdos is a small limitary islet in the southernmost part of Greece wherein has been formed an alternative community that has remained active for almost two decades. Based on ethnographic data assembled through fieldwork, this article examines the crucial role of liminality in the creation, maintenance and expansion of this community. The residents of this community perform their...

Scientific paper • 2014

The Post-communist Continuous Crisis and the Wake-up Call of Rosia Montana

By: Irina Velicu

Abstract: This paper examines various forms of resistance and alternative proposals to capital development in a post-socialist context. I argue that learning from the controversies here could be useful for research on de-growth because they are articulated from a position of anxiety with regard to both the communist and the neo-liberal experiments. What has disappeared after 1989 has not been a...

Scientific paper • 2014

From Consumerism to Wellbeing: Towards a Cultural Transition?

By: Philip Vergragt, Halina Szejnwald Brown

Abstract: Since the end of WWII the USA has transformed itself into a consumer society, with consumerism as a dominant lifestyle. It is a very stable complex system, which emerged through concerted efforts of the manufacturing sector, government policies, and organized labor. The ecological cost of this transformation has been high. Fundamental shifts need to take place in how people satisfy...

Scientific paper • 2014

Fair Trade Alternative Trade Organizations as a degrowth-friendly business model

By: Valerio Verrea

Abstract: This paper focuses on the specific features of the Alternative Trade Organizations (ATOs) developed within the Fair Trade system. They are an example of an organizational business model able to create and alternative market where social and ethical aspects are prioritized over profit-seeking. Their example offers important insights about the possibility to create a degrowth-friendly...

Scientific paper • 2014

Convivial and Emancipatory Technologies – suitable conceptions for Technology in a Degrowth Society?

By: Andrea Vetter, Bettina Barthel

Abstract: A degrowth society, like all human societies that ever existed, will need technology. But which conceptual frameworks could be suitable to denote such a “degrowth technology”? We look at two different proposals: first the idea of “Convivial Technologies”, coined in the 1970ies by the dissident thinker Ivan Illich and recently newly adapted in the “manifest for conviviality” written by...

Scientific paper • 2014

Democratic values as a debatable legitimation of growth

By: Tobias Vogel

growth legitimation by democracic values, comparison of status, unequality, cultural enforcement of growth, consumption

Scientific paper • 2014

Spatiality of Degrowth

By: Nina Vogel, Jin Xue

spatiality, degrowth visions, space, societal transformation

Scientific paper • 2014

Upward Mobility in Degrowth Societies

By: Stephan Voswinkel

Abstract: Upward social mobility is a promise of modernity, but as a zero-sum game it includes potential for social conflict. Economic growth could moderate conflicting social aspirations for a long time, therefore upward mobility was understood universally. As a result of the lack of growth, the conflictual nature of upward mobility comes more to the fore. The lecture explicates various...

Scientific paper • 2014

Energy technologies and their impact on a degrowth society

By: Petra Wächter

Abstract: Energy as the basis for daily activities on an individual level and for economic activities on a societal level gives fundamental importance to our lives. Individual decisions on the consumption of goods and services not only determine the energy use but also have impacts on the overall performance of economic structures. As economists point out energy use and economic growth are...

Scientific paper • 2014

Components of the energy system for a degrowth transformation

By: Petra Wächter

Abstract: Energy use in the context of degrowth goes beyond the claim for dematerialization and energy efficiency improvements. Although we can observe a decoupling of energy from growth in the past decade, absolute energy consumption is still increasing worldwide. Energy efficiency improvements are not sufficient to overcome an exploitation of energy resources and enhance the rebound-effect to...

Scientific paper • 2014

Components of the energy system for the transition to sustainable degrowth

By: Petra Wächter

Abstract: Energy as the basis for daily activities on an individual level and for economic activities on a societal level gives fundamental importance to our lives. Components that have to be considered for a successful energy transition include energy technologies, policy framework, behavioural changes, changes of institutional settings, and system dynamics. Critical issues in the field of...

Scientific paper • 2014

Adam Smith's

By: Till Wagner

invisible hand, growth, degrowth

Scientific paper • 2014

An interdisciplinary understanding of macro rebound effects

By: Hans Jakob Walnum

Rebound effects, critical realism, Interdisciplinary, socio technological structures