Alternatives to growth. In search of new socio-economic models 3002-KON2024K39-OG

The concept of moving away from economic growth towards a model based on social and environmental justice, ensuring the well-being of all while minimizing pressure on the natural environment, known as degrowth [fr. décroissance] began to gain popularity in the early 2000s, but its roots date back to the 1970s and the discussions sparked by the publication of the Club of Rome report. If we look even further back, cultural history will provide us with numerous examples of societies and communities living in moderation and in harmony with the natural environment, from which contemporary movements can draw.

During the classes, we will look at degrowth and other trends that constitute an alternative to the capitalist economy of constant growth. We will discuss the sources of these ideas and their practical implementation. We will analyze key texts for these concepts and look at specific actions. We will also look at the discourses surrounding the growth-based economy and the eco-modernist perspective.
The description of the classes is preliminary. The detailed program will be created based on discussions with participants and will take into account their interests.

Type of course

elective courses
general courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

Some of the readings for classes will be in English, so knowledge of English at a level enabling reading scientific texts is required.

Course coordinators

Jakub Rok

Learning outcomes

The student knows and understands in-depth economic and social concepts related to the criticism of economic growth. The student is able to interpret the collected material taking into account the historical, social and political context, in particular he/she notices the relationships between economic systems, social and cultural norms and the natural environment, and is also able to reconstruct them in the context of historical changes. The student has the competence to critically evaluate the acquired knowledge and received content.

Assessment criteria

The exact form of the final assessment will be agreed with the participants during the first classes.

Bibliography

Degrowth: A vocabulary for a new era, red. Federico Demaria et. al., 2015
- Jason Hickel, Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World, 2020
- John Bellamy Foster, Brett Clark, Richard York, "The Ecological Rift. Capitalism’s War on the Earth", New York 2010
- John Bellamy Foster, "The Return of Nature. Socialism nad ecology", 2020
- Michael Löwy, "Ecosocialism. A Radical Alternative to Capitalist Catastrophe" 2015
- Lewis Akenji "Sustainable Consumption or Consumer Scapegoatism?"
- Fuchs D, Sahakian M, Gumbert T, et al. (2021) Consumption Corridors: Living a Good Life within Sustainable Limits. New York: Routledge.
- David Graeber, "Fragmenty antropologii anarchistycznej", Poznań 2021
- Giorgos Kallis, Limits: why Malthus was wrong and why environmentalists should care, 2019
- Joan Martınez-Alier, Environmental Justice and Economic Degrowth: An Alliance between Two Movements, "Capitalism, nature, socialism", 2012, nr 23
- Daniel W. O’Neill et. al., A good life for all within planetary boundaries, "Nature sustainability" 2018, nr 1
- Federico Demaria et. al, What is Degrowth? From an Activist Slogan to a Social Movement, "Environmental values" 2013, nr 22
- Dennis Meadows et. al., Granice wzrostu, 1973
- Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, Energy and Economic Myths, "Southern Economic Journal", Vol. 41, No. 3 (Jan., 1975)
- Stuart Chase, Tragedy of waste, 1925
- Housing for degrowth. Principles, Models, Challenges and Opportunities, red. Anitra Nelson, François Schneider, 2019
- Giorgos Kallis, Socialism without growth, "Capitalism, nature, socialism" 2017

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3002-KON2024K39-OG in USOSweb