Announcing three Degrowth International Conferences in 2018: Sweden, Mexico and European Parliament.
The Support Group of the International Degrowth Conferences is happy to announce three degrowth events for 2018. After the conferences in Paris (2008), Barcelona (2010), Venice and Montreal (2012), Leipzig (2014) and Budapest (2016), in 2018 there will be:
1) 6th International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity: ‘Dialogues in turbulent times’
Where: Malmö (Sweden)
When: 21-25 August 2018
This conference aims at expanding the geographical and thematic scope of degrowth discussions, as well as building dialogues with critical social theories, sciences, and social movements. Malmö is a perfect city to host such a conference. Vibrant and mixed, but also relaxed and down-to-earth, it has a strong presence of alternative forms of organising and a varied cultural and grassroots life. We want this conference to further consolidate these and act as a platform for mutually enriching dialogues among groups from around the globe striving for a better world.
Parallel to the 6th International Degrowth Conference, two complementary and twin events will take place:
2) The First North-South Conference on Degrowth: Decolonizing the social imaginary
Where: Mexico City (Mexico)
When: 19-21 June 2018
EN: The First North-South Conference on Degrowth will be held in Mexico City, supported by universities, NGOs, and social movements. It will be an occasion to open and continue in-depth debates around the dominant illusions on economic growth. These are already ongoing debates inside and across the societies that are on their way to become modern and developed as well as those ‘excelling’ in these aspects. For the first time, a Latin American country will host an international gathering on Degrowth, after five conferences in Europe and one in Canada. Decolonization of the imaginary, Survival, Cultures, and Wealth will be the main issues under discussion.
ES: En 2018 tendrá lugar la Primera Conferencia Norte-Sur sobre Degrowth, México 19-21 Junio 2018, apoyada por entidades universitarias, ONGs y movimientos sociales de este país, con el propósito de abrir y dar continuidad a debates de gran calado en torno a las ilusiones o quimeras dominantes sobre el crecimiento económico, de las sociedades en camino de la modernidad y el desarrollo y las sociedades que sobresalen en estos aspectos. Por primera vez, un país Latinoamericano servirá de sede para debatir los temas del Decrecimiento, después de cinco conferencias en Europa y una en Canadá. Serán temas centrales de esta conferencia: la Descolonización del imaginario social, la Supervivencia, las Culturas y la Riqueza.
3) Degrowth in the EU Parliament: Post-growth conference to challenge the economic thinking of EU institutions with influential EU policy-makers
Where: European parliament, Brussels (Belgium)
When: 18-19 September 2018
A post-growth conference supported by various stakeholders (Members of the European Parliament from different political groups, academics, NGOs and unions) will take place in the premises of the European Parliament on September 18-19 2018, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the collapse of the US Bank Lehman Brothers that sparked the economic crisis in which we are still trapped.
Given its central location close to the heart of the European Union decision-making, the conference will offer a unique opportunity for the EU civil society to confront their views with those of EU officials and staff that defines the core of the economic model and political priorities. Considering that the latter are not compatible with a fair and ecological transformation of our societies, workshops will address the theoretical design of models used to frame the European economy, the relevance and feasibility of basic income schemes, the ultimate goal of the internal market and the environmental consequences of technological progress. The aim of these days – about one year before the next European elections and the nomination of a new Commission – will be to create a cultural contagion effect by which the thinking of policymakers will tilt towards genuine sustainability.
The work will be preceded by a preparatory session at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and followed by a debriefing and exchanges on how to coalesce allies to ensure that change will actually happen.
More information will be communicated soon.
Future conferences: If anyone is interested to organize future international degrowth conferences, please do not hesitate to contact the Support Group.
The Support Group (SG)
The SG is the official promoter of the International Degrowth Conferences. It is composed by people who have been highly involved in the local organizing committees of the previous international conferences.
Contact: supportgroup@degrowth.org For more information and updates see: https://degrowth.org/conferences/
