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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.
