Challenges for degrowth and environmental justice in the North – South debate – Ulrich Brand (University of Vienna / Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam)
Tuesday 5th July 2016, 10.00-11.30, UAB Campus
Two thrilling debates take place in different parts of the world. In Europe, the concept of degrowth gains importance as a strategy to reorient societies and the creation of well-being against the imperatives of capitalist growth. In Latin America, the critique of the currently dominant development model of neo-extractivism is formulated under headers like post-extractivism or good living. Up to date, there is little reference among the two debates and the experiences on other parts of the world. This is surprising because the chances to realize degrowth and post-extractivist strategies depend on global social-ecological transformations. My talk refers to some aspects of the degrowth perspective and especially one issue that seems to be hidden: The relationship between economic growth and societal domination (including domination over nature) and implications for degrowth. I am going to outline the origins of both debates and discuss their strengths and shortcomings.
Background reading material: Brand, Ulrich (2016) Growth and Domination, Shortcomings of the (De-)Growth Debate