PhD Course: Degrowth and socioecological justice across disciplines

We face a host of interlinked crises, not least climate breakdown, biodiversity collapse, rising inequality, alongside a rise in new uncertainties, such as the implications of the widespread uptake in artificial intelligence technologies. A large body of research has made evident the links between growth-oriented economies and the production of these challenges and uncertainties. But how do we translate this knowledge into action, in diverse areas of scientific research, as well as beyond academia?

To contribute to addressing these crises, it is crucial that students are able to grasp contextual and systemic complexities, and that they are able to communicate and argue across disciplines. In this discussion-based course, we focus on multiple dimensions of the challenges and especially on the degrowth and postgrowth approaches to respond. We begin with a primer into degrowth thinking, covering some key terms and principles as well as addressing common misunderstandings. We then turn to a range of topics that present paths to socio-ecological wellbeing and justice, including cultural transformation, degrowth utopianism, anti-extractivism, climate justice, digital degrowth, social movements, decolonial thinking, and the role of academia, to name a few.

Faculty members from all six UCPH faculties host different sessions, bringing their specific research fields to bear on the common topic of degrowth and just futures. We do not cover all that degrowth is and stands for, but we do make evident that it is a widely encompassing project that can involve us all; every discipline can contribute. The approaches to tackle the interconnected crises we face require collaboration with civil society actors, so every session also engages a civil-society actor who provides an “on-the-ground” perspective on the discussion topic alongside the respective faculty member. This is an exploratory course that will build knowledge of degrowth as it intersects with a wide swath of academic and civil society efforts toward transformation.

Sign up before 16 December 2024

Participants are expected to i) register using the link in PhD planner, and ii) write a brief text (500 words or less) explaining their motivation to join the course and how the topic might come to bear on their current or future academic activities (as far as possible). Note, the registration link does not contain the possibility to upload files, so letters of motivation should be sent at the same time as registering, to Fernando Racimo at fracimo@sund.ku.dk. Please put ‘LoM Degrowth PhD Course’ in the subject line.