6th International Degrowth Conference for ecological sustainability and social equity
August 21-25, 2018
Malmö, Sweden
Session format
Panel (traditional paper presentations)
Session organizers
Bengi Akbulut, Concordia University
Giacomo D’Alisa, University of Coimbra
Federico Demaria, ICTA UAB
For decades, the feminist movement have developed a rich repertoire of criticism against the dominant socio-economic system, articulating the role of social difference in producing devalutions (e.g. social reproduction) central to the functioning of capitalist growth economies. This history makes the feminist tradition well-poised to respond to mounting ecological crises and increasing global inequality we face today— challenges that are also of central concern to the degrowth movement. Indeed, feminism and degrowth share much in terms of concepts, debates, and strategies: both build on a criticism of the divide between the spheres of production/reproduction and shift focus on the conditions of reproduction and regeneration, of both human and non-human worlds. The feminist debates on rendering the unpaid labour/non-market work visible is paralleled by degrowth’s insistence on shedding light on environmental limits inherent to any project of unlimited growth. Both traditions build on a critique of extreme individualism, competition and violence of economic (neo)liberalism, an awareness that social change requires transformation of daily lives, and a vision for reconstituting relations (among humans as well as between humans and non-humans) based on principles of care and cooperation.
Yet, the likely alliance of feminism and degrowth have so far remained limited. This session aims to explore the ways in which an alliance between degrowth and feminism(s) can be fostered, including the differences/tensions between the two movements, and the challenges and potential strategies. It hopes to promote a continuing debate on how the two movements can enrich each other and push for a gender equitable ecologically sustainable futures. We invite presentations that focus on a variety of topics within this context. Abstracts (max 250 words) should be sent to to bengi.akbulut@gmail.com and giacomodalisa@gmail.com by JANUARY 8th.
Depending on the number and contributions we will receive, we will consider putting together a special issue for a journal like Ecological Economics, Feminist Economics or Environment and Planning E. Paper submission by end of 2018. If you are potentially interested to join it, send us an abstract even if you are not planning to join the Malmo conference. We might also held a similar special session at ISEE 2018 and Degrowth conference in Mexico.
The special session builds on and aims to advance the discussions held at the Degrowth Conference in Budapest 2016 (see the roundtable about feminism(s) and degrowth, and the conference interventions by Bengi Akbulut, Stefania Barca and Marco Deriu on YouTube), after which the Feminisms and Degrowth Alliance* Almirante (hereafter, FaDA) was formed.
*FaDA is a network to unfold the common potentials of the two movements and to foster their alliance. Its main objectives are to exchange information, keep in touch and push for a FaDA agenda. This initiative aims to encourage the reflection of differences, contradictions and limits and to explore and deepen convergences, potentials and strategies of the alliance between feminisms and degrowth.
To subscribe to the mailing list of FaDA, please send an email to fada-subscribe@lists.riseup.net. (You can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email to fada-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net). We are organizing the next FaDA meeting at Malmo, more news soon.
More info at: https://www.degrowth.info/en/2017/02/feminisms-and-degrowth-alliance-fada-newly-launched/