Library

Scientific paper • 2014

Agency is not enough: obstacles to back-to-the-land and agri-food downscaling

By: Rita Calvario

Back-to-the-land, agri-food downscaling, degrowth transition

Scientific paper • 2014

Basic Income and Degrowth?

By: Claudio Cattaneo

Abstract: The paper starts from a literature review on the relationship basic income and degrowth and then develops some criticisms for which basic income might not be an adequate degrowth policy. It finally discusses the extent for which basic income might be a plausible degrowth proposal, but only as a social policy related to economic crisis (unwanted degrowth) therefore only of temporary,...

Scientific paper • 2014

Alternative capital for alternative development: Investigation of possible development transition using capital method

By: Chiung Ting Chang

Abstract: How to move from current unsustainable pattern of development to a sustainable one? Here we make an attempt to propose a possible route of transition in the perspective of capital. That is to focus on the investment of human capital and of social capital. The strategies for transformation will be also based on the shifting the resources to human-centered investment. Although the plan...

Scientific paper • 2014

What Kind of Growth, What Kind of Degrowth: The Case of Croatia Reconsidered

By: Vladimir Cvijanovic, Tomislav Tomasevic

Abstract: This contribution is a part of Degrowth in post-socialist European Countries Special Session. It outlines the development path Croatia has pursued (that has not produced desirable results) and will argue that the country should pursue sustainable degrowth. We identify potentials Croatia has in ecological agriculture, utilisation of forests as well as other potentials in renewable...

Scientific paper • 2014

The social and economic consequences of Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SAEP)

By: Simone D'Alessandro

Abstract: The repeated failures of global agreements for GHG emissions abatement call for a new strategy that involves local communities in implementing effective transitions to sustainability (the Warsaw Climate Change Conference in November 2013 is the last example). This paper investigates the environmental, social and economic consequences of Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SAEP) at the...

Scientific paper • 2014

The long way towards a social and ecological economy: how do we change the paradigm?

By: Michele De Rosa

Abstract: In order to transform the societal paradigm it is necessary to start with the elementary components of the society: the individuals. A critique of modern society begins with a critique of the critics themselves, in this case the scientific community. This investigation provocatively started with a critique of how the concept of sustainability and sustainable Degrowth are applied in...

Scientific paper • 2014

Peoples Sustainability Treaties: A Platform for a Common Narrative, Agenda and Movement

By: Uchita de Zoysa

Abstract: Given the inequities and unsustainability of the present model of development, the world needs profound transformations in the fundamental values and organizing principles of society. The challenge is to recognize the legitimacy of the global polity as an outer layer of the nested system of affiliation that reaches across regions and places, and to build the processes of democratic...

Scientific paper • 2014

Money and Freedom in the view of Polanyis Great Transformation: Decommodification by constituting alternative monetary institutions

By: Josué Manuel Quintana Diaz

Money as institution, monetary constitution, growth imperative, Transitions Initiatives, decommodification

Scientific paper • 2014

Food sharing: A potential strategy against the food waste problem and a local contribution to local climate change mitigation?

By: Dominic Egger

Non-market food provision - Transitory strategy - Food waste - Degrowth practice - Municipal strategy of climate change mitigation

Scientific paper • 2014

Time use in an Alternative Degrowth Society

By: Wolfgang Fellner

Abstract: A time use perspective in economics has to recognise that time is more than an input to commodities, produced by households. Time is not money! If anything, time is life. How we spend our time provides us with skills as well as information. It determines the formation of habits and preferences. The activities we pursue with great motivation and enthusiasm, be it paid work or any other...

Scientific paper • 2014

Discussion of the new Portuguese sustainability experiences

By: Lúcia Fernandes

Abstract: The work aims to present the general aspects of a recently started postdoctoral research project at the Research Centre in Sociological and Organizational Sociology (SOCIUS) and the Centre for Social Studies (CES), Portugal. Some empirical data is from the research project Communication and Political Engagement with Environmental Issues - COMPOLIS (I am part of the project research...

Scientific paper • 2014

Accountability, Democracy, and Post-growth: Civil Society Rethinking Political Economy and Finance.

By: Lorenzo Fioramonti

Economic crisis, civil society, social change, accountability, degrowth

Scientific paper • 2014

the potential of permaculture teachers as change agents for a sustainable modernity

By: Max Gaedtke

Abstract: Subject of this paper is to analyse the potential of permaculture teachers as change agents for a sustainable modernity. The theoretical basis of the work is the change agent approach by KRISTOF (2010). Permaculture is presented as a sustainable design approach. The change agent approach is used as a framework. The methodology consists of qualitative interviews with teachers and...

Scientific paper • 2014

Roles for university researchers in promoting sustainability

By: Audley Genus

Abstract: There is considerable debate regarding the contribution to be made by higher education institutions and the researchers they employ in realising environmentally sustainable urban spaces, and the relationship between academic research and lay knowledge. Drawing on previous work, the paper identifies roles that may be played by academic researchers in building sustainable urban...

Scientific paper • 2014

SOCIALISM - ECOLOGISM - FEMINISM Tributaries for building new movements, new paradigms, new communities and new societies

By: Eduardo Giesen

Abstract: The central idea is that for progressing in the construction and - before - in imagination of new models of society, it is necessary, essential, the convergence of socio-political streams -socialism, environmentalism and feminism- that mainly represent cultural changes and social movements in recent decades. Convergence should include but exceed meeting in public demonstrations and...

Scientific paper • 2014

Getting to Postgrowht: The Transformative Power of Paradigm Shifts

By: Maja Goepel

Abstract: Humans create stories about why they are here, what the purpose of this journey is and how to relate to their human and natural environment. These stories rest on some core ideas that feed into the common language and sense-making that people apply when engaging in collaboration, the design of institutions or legitimization of domination. Looking at what the story of neoclassical...

Scientific paper • 2014

Societal transformations: Objects, driving forces and potential to govern them

By: Lisa Graaf, Holger Bär, Klaus Jacob

Abstract: Many participants in the German political discourse have emphasized the need for a comprehensive transformation of the political system, the economy and society to meet the challenges of sustainable development. However, the scope, the speed and the means that are necessary to initiate and to advance such processes, is subject to controversial debate. Against this background, this...

Scientific paper • 2014

Exploring Human Labour in times of low carbon and no growth economies

By: Willi Haas, Marina Fischer-Kowalski

energy transitions, human labour, degrowth

Scientific paper • 2014

Problems of unlimited economic Growth

By: Hugo Hanbury

Degrowth, environment, consumerism, transition, world food system

Scientific paper • 2014

Ways towards an egalitarian post-growth society

By: Yorck Hauß

Abstract: In the early industrialized countries the economic growth rates are declining. Various symptoms of instability are showing already. Furthermore, economic growth has reached social and ecological boundaries. This implies the need for a transformation of the present social structure. A stable post-growth society has to be either egalitarian or authoritarian. There is empirical evidence...