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

elective courses
general courses

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

Classroom

In times of climate and ecological crisis, the need to rebuild the currently dominant economic and social model based on growth is becoming increasingly clear. Ideas such as degrowth are becoming more and more popular, inspiring numerous social initiatives, but they are also perceived as controversial and raise a lot of discussion. During the classes, we will talk about various alternative socio-economic models that may be a response to the climate and ecological crisis.

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.

- 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

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.

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