Suchergebnisse

Unter dem Schlagwort 'Degrowth' bringen Autoren wie Tim Jackson oder Serge Latouche die wichtigsten Begriffe auf den Punkt, diskutieren über 'Autonomie', 'Commons ' und 'Peak Oil', entdecken alte Werte wie 'Einfachheit' neu und plädieren für 'Worksharing' oder 'Jobgarantien'. Eine unverzichtbare Quelle für den anstehenden gesellschaftlichen Wandel.

Analizamos el dramático incendio de Horta de Sant Joan de 2009 en Cataluña, bajo el marco de la ecología política. La historia ambiental local, los cambios de usos del paisaje forestal anterior al incendio y el choque entre los diferentes discursos sociales alrededor de éste revelan diferentes formas sociopolíticas de construir la relación entre la naturaleza y la sociedad. Cada actor social explica y evalúa la gestión del territorio y del incendio mediante escalas de tiempo e intereses diferentes. Estos distintos discursos se pueden clasificar según el grado en que favorecen la inclusión o la exclusión del fuego en el sistema socioecológico. Nuestro análisis muestra los diferentes «paisajes deseados» propuestos por los actores sociales, cuya contextualización y análisis permiten realizar una reflexión más profunda sobre los valores dominantes y dominados en relación con los bosques y los incendios. Concluimos que es necesaria una adecuada politización del debate en torno a las causas de los incendios forestales y las formas en las que la sociedad catalana responde a ellos. Analitzem el dramàtic incendi d'Horta de Sant Joan de 2009 a Catalunya en el marc de l'ecologia política. La història ambiental local, els canvis d'usos del paisatge forestal anterior a l'incendi i el xoc entre els diferents discursos socials al voltant d'aquest ens parlen de diferents formes sociopolítiques de construir la relació entre natura i societat. Cada actor social explica i avalua la gestió del territori i de l'incendi d'acord amb escales temporals i interessos diferents. Els diversos discursos es poden classificar segons el grau d'inclusió o exclusió del foc en el sistema socioecològic. La nostra anàlisi mostra els «paisatges desitjats » de cada actor social, la contextualització i l'anàlisi dels quals permeten realitzar una reflexió més profunda sobre els valors dominants i dominats en relació amb els boscos i els incendis. Concloem que és necessària una politització adequada del debat sobre les causes dels incendis forestals i les respostes que la societat catalana hi dóna. Nous analysons le dramatique incendie de Horta de Sant Joan en 2009 en Catalogne, dans le cadre de l'écologie politique. L'histoire locale de l'environnement, les changements dans le paysage forestier utilisé avant l'incendie et l'affrontement entre différents discours sociaux autour du feu, réalisent différentes façons socio-politiques de construire la relation société-nature. Chaque acteur social, explique et évalue la gestion des terres et du feu selon différentes échelles de temps et intérêts. Ces différents discours peuvent être classés en fonction de la mesure qui favorisent l'inclusion ou l'exclusion du feu dans le système socio-écologique. Notre analyse met en lumière les différents «paysages souhaités» proposé par les acteurs sociaux, dont la contextualisation et l'analyse de permettre une réflexion plus profonde sur les valeurs dominantes et dominées par rapport aux forêts et aux incendies. Nous concluons qu'il doit y avoir politisation appropriée autour les causes et les réponses des feux de forêt en Catalogne. This paper analyses the tragic 2009 wildfire of Horta de Sant Joan in Catalonia. The local environmental history, the changes in land use of the pre-fire forest landscape, and the clash between different social discourses after the wildfire reveal different sociopolitical forms of constructing the relationship between nature and society. Each social actor explains wildfire and forest management according to different time scales and interests. These discourses can be classified by the degree of inclusion or exclusion of fire in the social-ecological system. The contextualisation and analysis of the «desired landscapes» proposed by the social actors allows for a deeper reflection on contested understandings and values in relation to forests and wildfires. We conclude by arguing in favour of a proper re-politicisation of the debate around the causes of and the responses to wildfires.

Uranium mines are the - often forgotten - source of nuclear power. The promotion of nuclear energy as a clean alternative and the projected increase of electricity demand in countries such as China and India, have led to a global "uranium rush", unseen since the peak of the Cold War. This article studies the formation of the expanding nuclear frontier looking at the interaction between the global uranium metabolism, industrial dynamics and local ecologies of resistance using Namibia as a case-study. Namibia, the world's fourth largest producer of uranium, stands at the frontier of this rush with sixty-six recently granted prospecting licenses that could turn into mines, compared to only three currently operating mines. We focus on three generic attributes that help to explain the emergence and intensity of resistance by local communities to uranium mining: the ecology and geography of the resource; the degree and type of political and economic marginalization of the community; and crucially, the connection and integration of local concerns with broader social movements and political demands. We show with the use of empirical material how these factors play out differently in five Namibian communities that have been, or stand to be, affected by uranium mining, and explain how local ecologies of resistance shape the global uranium rush.

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- About the Authors -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction: Manuel Castells -- Chapter 1 Economy Is Culture: Sarah Banet-Weiser and Manuel Castells -- What is value? -- The culture of financial capitalists and financial institutions -- The passion to create and the value of creativity -- Feminist economics -- Conclusion: Economic practices beyond economics -- References -- Chapter 2 Economics Without Growth: Giorgos Kallis -- Introduction -- Part 1: Six core principles -- Part 2: An alternative account of the crisis -- Part 3: The alternative economy as an embodiment of the new economics -- Part 4: New economic policies -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 3 Analysis of Worldwide Community Economies for Sustainable Local Development: Sviatlana Hlebik -- Introduction -- Part 1: Conceptual framework -- Part 2.1: An overview of typologies and classifications -- Part 2.2: How it works (some examples) -- Part 2.3: Statistical data overview -- Part 3: Relationship between the community currency systems and the country's level of social and economic development, different aspects of the financial sector and money -- Main empirical findings -- Conclusion -- Appendix 1 -- Appendix 2: Methodology -- Appendix 3: Statistical analysis -- References -- Chapter 4 Blockchain Dreams: Imagining Techno-Economic Alternatives After Bitcoin: Lana Swartz -- Introduction -- The bitcoin blockchain -- The blockchain after bitcoin -- Radical blockchain dreams -- The incorporative blockchain dream? -- A slow blockchain? -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 5 Consumer Financial Services in the US: Why Banks May Not Be the Answer: Lisa J. Servon -- Methodology -- The three trends underlying the dysfunctional financial services landscape -- Findings -- Conclusion -- References.

Jatropha curcas is promoted internationally for its presumed agronomic viability in marginal lands, economic returns for small farmers, and lack of competition with food crops. However, empirical results from a study in southern India revealed that Jatropha cultivation, even on agricultural lands, is neither profitable, nor pro-poor. We use a political ecology framework to analyze both the discourse promoting Jatropha cultivation and its empirical consequences. We deconstruct the shaky premises of the dominant discourse of Jatropha as a "pro-poor" and "pro-wasteland" development crop, a discourse that paints a win-win picture between poverty alleviation, natural resource regeneration, and energy security goals. We then draw from field-work on Jatropha plantations in the state of Tamil Nadu to show how Jatropha cultivation favors resource-rich farmers, while possibly reinforcing existing processes of marginalization of small and marginal farmers.

The Water Framework Directive institutionalises participatory processes in river basin planning across the European Union. This paper reports on three case studies from southern Europe where conflicts over water exist. In each a different method for participation was experimentally employed: scenario workshops, mediated modelling, and social multicriteria evaluation. Scenario workshops and mediated modelling proved well suited to the early stages of a planning process (problem solving and identification of goals and alternatives) and to be good at educating participants and supporting capacity building. Their performance was less satisfactory with respect to resolving long-standing conflicts and achieving consensus. In comparison, social multicriteria evaluation was better able to address the evaluation of alternatives, reveal trade-offs, and aid convergence between divergent stakeholders' views, but it relied more heavily on experts and allowed less participation and deliberation in goal-setting than the other two methods. These results show complementarities amongst methods which imply that hybrid or combined approaches would be best for aiding the water planning process. They also reveal problems confronting the use of participatory approaches and constraints which prevent theoretical promise from being converted into practical results.

The planetary boundaries concept has profoundly changed the vocabulary and representation of global environmental issues. We bring a critical social science perspective to this framework through the notion of societal boundaries and aim to provide a more nuanced understanding of the social nature of thresholds. We start by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of planetary boundaries from a social science perspective. We then focus on capitalist societies as a heuristic for discussing the expansionary dynamics, power relations, and lock-ins of modern societies that impel highly unsustainable societal relations with nature. While formulating societal boundaries implies a controversial process ‒ based on normative judgments, ethical concerns, and socio-political struggles ‒ it has the potential to offer guidelines for a just, social-ecological transformation. Collective autonomy and the politics of self-limitation are key elements of societal boundaries and are linked to important proposals and pluriverse experiences to integrate well-being and boundaries. The role of the state and propositions for radical alternative approaches to well-being have particular importance. We conclude with reflections on social freedom, defined as the right not to live at others' expense. Toward the aim of defining boundaries through transdisciplinary and democratic processes, we seek to open a dialogue on these issues.

The planetary boundaries concept has profoundly changed the vocabulary and representation of global environmental issues. We bring a critical social science perspective to this framework through the notion of societal boundaries and aim to provide a more nuanced understanding of the social nature of thresholds. We start by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of planetary boundaries from a social science perspective. We then focus on capitalist societies as a heuristic for discussing the expansionary dynamics, power relations, and lock-ins of modern societies that impel highly unsustainable societal relations with nature. While formulating societal boundaries implies a controversial process ‒ based on normative judgments, ethical concerns, and socio-political struggles ‒ it has the potential to offer guidelines for a just, social-ecological transformation. Collective autonomy and the politics of self-limitation are key elements of societal boundaries and are linked to important proposals and pluriverse experiences to integrate well-being and boundaries. The role of the state and propositions for radical alternative approaches to well-being have particular importance. We conclude with reflections on social freedom, defined as the right not to live at others' expense. Toward the aim of defining boundaries through transdisciplinary and democratic processes, we seek to open a dialogue on these issues.