Degrowth is a new emerging academic and political concept. Born in France in the early 2000’s, translated into English in 2008, based on old and new emerging debates, it radically questions the physical but also cultural limits to growth. Infinite growth on a finite planet is reaching its ecological limits. Even more, economic growth for growth’s sake has become problematic in terms of well-being and meaningful lives. What is degrowth and what would degrowth propose to address the XXIst century challenges in terms of sustainability and even more for democracy, social justice, emancipation, gender equality or Global Norths-Souths dialogues. This course critically explores public policies toward a degrowth political agenda around articulated proposals such as Unconditional Basic Income, Universal Basic Services, Unconditional Autonomy Allowance, Maximum Income, deliberative democracy or re-embedding the economy, public and private debts citizen audits. It is an invitation to explore old and new emerging concepts like the commons, care economy, low-tech, open relocalisation, conviviality or autonomy.
- Instructor: Vincent Liegey