Critical Sustainability Studies

Degrowth can be conceptualized as critique and as a space: a critique to the centrality of growth in all spheres of life and society; and a space for exploring alternatives to neoliberalism and exploitation emerging from critiques of development and orthodox economics, from ecological economics, happiness studies, direct democracy, environmental and social justice movements. One way to approach degrowth is through exploring its implications for well-being, in scenarios of voluntary or involuntary consumption reduction. Yet, adjusting consumption and transformation of lifestyles as a response to the multiple crisis facing world society (economic, financial, ecological, political or democratic to list a few) cannot take place without a careful consideration of issues of justice, relations of power and levels of governance. The study of degrowth and subjective well-being is hence inherently related to considering levels of decision-making on either individual, community or higher governance levels and the associated attribution of rights and responsibilities. Overall, objective and subjective well-being in a context of degrowth could be higher. Yet to this aim social disparities and the terms of social reference/comparison need to change together with the opportunities for accessing alternative networks of provisioning and work. At BCNUEJ, we explore how degrowth activists and leaders consider issues of justice, equity, and inclusion in movement building and politics.

• A ‘fertile soil’ for sustainability-related community initiatives: A new analytical framework (Environment and Planning A, 2017)

• Power and privilege in alternative civic practices: Examining imaginaries of change and embedded rationalities in community economies (Geoforum, 2017)

• Climate change, happiness and income from a degrowth perspective, Handbook on Growth and Sustainability (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016)

• Happiness, Degrowth: A Vocabulary for a New Era (Routledge, 2014)

• Improving understanding on degrowth pathways: An exploratory study using collaborative causal models (Futures, 2014)

• What is degrowth? From an activist slogan to a social movement (Environmental Values, 2013)

• Degrowth: From theory to practice (Journal of Cleaner Production. 2013)