Version 1.0
16 A. Pathways to Degrowth
Challenging power and finding our way
Degrowth proposes a radically different vision of what societies could look like. There are many ideas about what a degrowth world might include, but little attention has been given to how to get there. This course aims to offer a creative space to explore different ways that this might come about. One area in particular which is neglected by degrowth literature is that of power, thus we will mainly focus on how different degrowth strategies relate to different forms of power. The course will use a variety of creative techniques and games in order for participative learning to take place. The final day will focus on an open space for people to build on earlier discussions and find what strategies suit them and ways to support each other.
Degrowth literature provides an excellent critique of a growth society and has many proposals about what degrowth societies might be like. Concrete ideas about how to get there, especially taking into consideration different aspects of power, however are largely missing from the debates. This course, therefore, aims to provide a space for the possible pathways to degrowth societies to be explored; it will allow individuals and groups space to think about how to implement these ideas in their lives. Further, we hope to reflect on the relative strengths and weaknesses of pathways to degrowth already proposed in the literature (e.g. nowtopias, political parties etc). Using a variety of participative and experiential learning techniques this course aims to be open to a variety of participants who do not necessarily need expert background knowledge or experience. As the course will be run in the Rhineland prior to an action camp, however, it is expected that many of the participants will be activists and it will be well suited to this audience.
After the course, we hope that the participants will have an increased understanding about the effectiveness and relevance of different kinds of strategies, especially in relation to challenging power. By reflecting on the plurality of ways of bringing about degrowth societies and one's own role in all of this, we wish that participants will feel more comfortable and confident in pursuing the strategies for change they see as most relevant for themselves. In addition, we believe that the workshop will spark ideas around different effective tactics which can be used also during the action camp following the summer school.
Info
Room:
Tent/Zelt 12
Track:
Courses/Kurse
Language:
En
Links:
Feedback
Speakers
Ali Tamlit | |
Josefin Smeds |