Introduction to Degrowth
Full course description
Degrowth is an emerging paradigm in economics and political science countering the “green” growth paradigm as a mainstream strategy for sustainability transitions. The “green” growth paradigm centres on the absolute decoupling of Gross Domestic Product growth from environmental impacts such as greenhouse gases emissions. Degrowth proponents argue that decoupling is impossible at scale, especially considering the urgency of the climate crisis, which requires a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels and reduction of emissions. They argue that developed economies should abandon the stimulation of GDP growth as the main goal of their economic policies (a certain amount of economic growth is still required in developing countries). Wealthy countries should instead scale down “destructive and unnecessary forms of production to reduce energy and material use, and focus economic activities around securing human needs and well-being”. Degrowth can therefore be seen as a “purposeful strategy to stabilize economies and achieve social and ecological goals, unlike [economic] recession which is chaotic and destabilizing” (Hickel et al., 2022)[1].
In this course, students will critically explore the scientific base of the degrowth paradigm. Is “green” growth indeed impossible, and how would we know? How is growth tied to global production-consumption systems and their destructive impacts? How does the economic growth paradigm influence not only countries and organisations but also individuals who strive for performance maximization and more productive and marketable uses of their time? Through the lens of three different academic perspectives, students will also explore and discuss what “de-growing” economic systems, policies and individual behaviours could look like:
- Economics: What is the impact of production-consumption systems on planetary boundaries?
- Political science: what is the role of economic growth in liberal democracies? And how could the acceptance and feasibility of degrowth policies be increased?
- Psychology: In how far do individual behaviours reproduce the economic growth paradigm? And what would be needed for a “degrowth mindset”?
Course objectives
- Students understand the concepts of planetary boundaries and a safe operating space for humanity, and analyse how anthropogenic activities influence earth-systems, leading to fundamental changes in the environment.
- Students critically evaluate, compare and question (1) the mainstream paradigm of sustainability transition through “green” growth, and (2) the alternative paradigm of degrowth.
- Students apply and critically evaluate the principles of degrowth to (real-life/ hypothetical) cases where degrowth principles are implemented, considering the potential impact on societal well-being, environmental sustainability, and economic dynamics.
- Students critically evaluate degrowth pathways using economic, political and behavioural perspectives.
Prerequisites
SSC1027 Principles of Economics and SCI1016 Sustainable Development.
Recommended reading
Materials will be available either online or at the UM Library.
- Hickel, J., Kallis, G., Jackson, T., O’Neill, D. W., Schor, J. B., Steinberger, J. K., Victor, P. A., & Ürge-Vorsatz, D. (2022). Degrowth can work—Here’s how science can help. Nature, 612(7940), 400–403.
- Schmelzer, M., Vetter, A., & Vansintjan, A. (2022). The future is degrowth: A guide to a world beyond capitalism. Verso Books.
- Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut economics: Seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist. Chelsea Green Publishing.
- Jackson, T. (2009). Prosperity without growth: Economics for a finite planet. Routledge.