Degrowth & Strategy: how to bring about social-ecological transformation

by Nathan Barlow (Editor), Livia Regen (Editor), Noémie Cadiou (Editor)

Degrowth is a counter-hegemonic movement that has the ambitious aim of transforming society towards social and ecological justice. But how do we get there? That is the question this book addresses. Adhering to the multiplicity of degrowth whilst also arguing that strategic prioritisation and coordination are key, Degrowth & Strategy advances the debate on strategy for social-ecological transformation. It explores what strategising means, identifies key directions for the degrowth movement, and scrutinises strategies in practice that aim to realise a degrowth society. Bringing together voices from degrowth and related movements, this book creates a polyphony for change going beyond the sum of its parts.

Genres: Economics

416 pages, Paperback

Published July 27, 2022

Reviews

[Evar Kristoffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good collection of ideas connected to Degrowth.
Brilliant source of inspiration for further theoretical development. Perhaps the anarchist and statist divide within Degrowth isn’t mutually destructive, but dialectically productive. It seems that the authors in this book seem to think so. Pluralism in theory and praxis do not necessarily lead to relativism or loss of principles.


Evident that the majority of Degrowth Scholars draw a lot of inspiration from Rosa Luxembourg and Andre Gorz idea of non-reformist reforms / revolutionary realpolitik. I think that is a great way of conceptualising policy proposals that seem inherently social democratic - but in reality act disruptive to capital. Enough of them, and you may see a shared idealogical hegemony emerge that is critical of capitalism (or technofeudalism if you prefer Varoufakis).

They also take a lot of inspiration from the distinct methods of transformation described in the works of Erik Olin Wright.

Recommend this to anyone deepdiving Degrowth. This is not an introductory level book!