CEL Ending our growth dependence: an emancipatory project

This online workshop has been organised by the Cities, Environment and Liveability (CEL) Pathway and the Sustainable Growth, Management and Economic Productivity (SMP) Pathway and is open to ESRC and non-ESRC funded PhD and MA Social Research students within the WHC Pathway across the WRDTP partner universities.

Criticisms of GDP as a measure of economic progress, and more generally of economic growth as a guiding principle of our economies have become more prominent in recent years. Scholars and activists have put a range of alternative ‘post-growth’ concepts and approaches on the table around which there is much discussion.

In this session Dr Milena Buchs (University of Leeds) will first introduce ideas around post-growth and discuss the opportunities and challenges that they bring. We will then be joined by Dr. Beth Stratford (University of Leeds) who will present her recent work on a “Doughnut Shaped Recovery”.

Students will develop understanding of a core concept in debates about just transition and achieving a zero-emission future. They will hear about emerging debates and ideas on the subject of degrowth, and will also learn about different methods for researching the subject. Students will have opportunity to discuss their own thoughts and experiences and think about how the concept might apply to their own studies.