Degrowth: tentative ideas about a research agenda

Degrowth: tentative ideas about a research agenda

Giorgos Kallis,ICREA Researcher

2nd International Conference on Degrowth,Barcelona,

28 March 2010

This presentation

1. Definition of degrowth.

2. My take on the state of degrowth research.

3. Tentative research agenda.

1. What is degrowth?

Three notions

Reduction of production and consumption in physical terms through downscaling (and not just efficiency improvements).

Decolonization of the imaginary (“a-growth”)

Decommodification – reducing the domain of market rationality.

The degrowth propositions

1. Growth is unsustainable.

2. Degrowth has environmental and social benefits (“double dividend”).

2. State of degrowth research

Strengths

Plurality of approaches.

Creative mix of different approaches and ideas.

Contributions

Unsustainability of eco-modernization (rebound effect, Jevon´s paradox, etc)

Political, cultural and anthropological cricisims of “development”, “economism”, “technocentrism” and “utilitarianism”.

(Re)emerging “fresh” proposals (basic income, reduced working hours, resource sanctuaries, moratoria, etc) and practical examples.

Weaknesses

Programmatic “laundry lists”.

Lack of solid theoretical grounding or theoretical development.

We do not engage enough with our own contradictions.

Empirical works on “alternatives” are often methodologically and theoretically weak.

3. Tentative research agenda

Tentative research agenda

Strengthen propositions.

Engage with contradictions.

Develop theory.

Strengthen propositions

Unsustainability of growth Sustainability of degrowth How to? The process of transition. Characterize the end state.

Unsustainability of growth

Strengthen theoretically and empirically the case against the possibility of dematerializing growth.

Sustainability of degrowth

Hypothesize/model impacts on Population. Renewable Energies. Employment and Social Security. Social infrastructures, etc.

Metabolic scenarios (e.g. how many people can be fed by oil-free agriculture and at what levels?).

Psychological effects under different scenarios vis-à-vis human behavior.

How to? The process of transition Structural barriers. Can capitalism

degrow sustainably?

Political processes and transformation.

The end state

The degrowth economy.

The degrowth democracy.

International relations.

Contradictions

Degrowth vs. a-growth. Ecotaxation vs. Decommodification. Imperative vs. Political proposal. Well-being vs. Anti-utilitarianism. “Community” Democracy vs. “degrow this, but grow

that”.

Theory

Can we build a coherent theory/ies?

Do we have to?

What is a theory

How and why things work the way they do? Why “x” is happening and not “y” or “z”?

Agents of change. Central problem. Value theory.

Marxists have a theory. Neoliberal economists have a theory. We dont.

Tentative research agenda

Strengthen propositions.

Engage with contradictions.

Develop theory.

Thank you!

giorgoskallis@gmail.com