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Regenerative communities: resistance, existence, and re-existence

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the deep fractures and the baseless promises of well-being that the capitalist model made to the whole world. Neither the market nor the State will be able to take care of a vast number of peoples, except in a transitory and limited way. People’s struggles for survival and their expression of agency will be a significant factor in defining the outcome of these exceptional circumstances. The crisis points to the terrible physical, cultural, and spiritual alienation of Homo Industrius from its own home ‘oikos’.
Over the past three years, the COVID-19 crisis has been well documented, highlighting the plight of the working class, small scale farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, urban migrants and many people living in the margins of our societies. It has shown the deep links between ecological devastation and socio-economic deprivation. Overall, the inequality and unsustainability of predominant models of ‘development’ have been clearly demonstrated.
The crises showed the vitality of using this opportunity to simultaneously rethink the economic, social, political, cultural and ecological approaches to life and find alternative pathways of well-being. However desperate the current situation has been, communities across the world responded to the crises with resilience, care, innovation, and adaptability. The resurgence of life that we see in innumerable actions of solidarity, cooperation, love, and care in these times are rooted in the aeons-old articulations of indigenous peoples and local communities who are directly dependent on the rest of nature for their well-being.
This session will highlight stories from the Global South demonstrated by communities, initiatives and civil society who give us important lessons and pathways for just, equitable, and ecologically resilient futures.

Info

Day: 2023-09-01
Start time: 16:30
Duration: 00:45
Room: ZV-8-3
Type: Non-academic Session
Theme: Resilience building through degrowth

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Concurrent Sessions