Politics of organising a course
Degrowth presents a strong criticism on the current political structures and democratical order. In this sense, the effective implementation of a degrowth course implies taking into consideration several aspects, allowing both participants and course organisers to "envision", "learn" and "experience" the type of political structures and processes that we want to exist in a degrowth society.
Additionally, each course constitutes an opportunity for promoting at the local level degrowth politics and proposals. The course and the activities organized around it can be used to articulate local concerns (e.g. the pollution caused by an incinerator, the construction of a new road, the debt of the city and closure of public amenities, etc.) with the broad ideas of degrowth.
Degrowth pratictioners aim at providing alternatives to respond to challenges posed to society, namely regarding the avalability of resources and how they are being used. This increases conflicts of interests between the established growth-based social, economic and political models and those that are affected by the pressure these models put on the fair access and sustainable use of resources. The alternatives proposed by Degrowth approaches have therefore to be politically positioned in order to address these conflicts, namely to promote the mediation of these interests, so that those that are suffering the negative impacts of the hegemonic growth approaches, can increasingly have their voice heard and their interests respected.
In this sense, within the GROWL network it is important that degrowth courses respond to such political aspects, address concrete needs, promote critical thinking, and empower already existing social, ecological and political movements. Here we introduce some key points to take in consideration when designing a degrowth course within your local community or group.
1. Selection of topics
In order to find a topic that connects to local context and population, it is important to list existing local projects that could be understood within the Degrowth premises. The criteria in order to select a good topic much include the analysis of: how long the project exists (how resilient it is)? How close it is with degrowth theory (low resources? How local population identifies with the project (accepts or rejects)? The fact that it is a topic that has already been worked on the region, means that it will be easier also to find personal to provide technical training during the TTT.
2. Target groups
The selection of participant for the TTT shall give preference to those already practice or developing alternatives, be them local development projects, research or any sort of activism. Focusing on key target groups in the local communities, helps to succeed in having a multiplication effect with the courses. At the same time, it helps to bring into the course multiple visions and perspectives of the diversity of actors effectively practicing degrowth in different contexts, therefore contributing to evolution and innovation in the degrowth theory and praxis.
3. Self-representation
Start the session by asking them to present themselves, why they are there, in which projects that have been involved, or why they got the motivation of joining a TTT module and become politically active. Use self-representation approach as a means to raise the idea of self-determination of wills and needs, and not accepting that other entities than themselves can represent or produce their own ideas. Degrowth is not a dogma, and should not me teached as such. Giving relevance to self-representation, the importance to be critical, will help us minimizing the impacts of "saving the world" and other escatological/apotalyptical discourses, that tend to try to distract from a serious discussion about how to solve concrete problems, that affect concrete people (that have their particular wishes, ideas, etc.)
4. Local political institutions
Degrowth proposes a radical alternative and counters the hegemonic idea of development and the need for economic growth, which can, when not communicated properly, result in the appearance of obstacles within local actors and institutions that could otherwise be important allies in the promotion and implementation of degrowth.
An important step when organising a course on degrowth might be to identify key local institutions, contact them to explain the project and possible engage some of them in the preparation of being present at some point in the course. In many contexts - for example in peripheral towns or places affected by the debt crisis and consequent austerity policies - degrowth can prove to be an extremely interesting alternative for the achiement of policy goals for the region. Take time to understand the local windows of opportunity in the region, talk to important actors and learn how to communicate degrowth and anchor it to the objectives that other local groups already pursue.
Finally, 5. Network
Use the opportunity and momentum generated by the course to form a local network of activists, researchers, and practitioners, which may not know each other from before, and that may be spread in the neighboring localities. Bring local institutions in contact with regional and international networks and promote the establishment of strategic political alliances capable of confronting the growth hegemony and opening space for the degrowth proposals. Whenever possible, bring the networks you form and the local and regional level in contact with the larger GROWL virtual community, promoting the exchange of experiences, discussions and consequently the increase of knowledge within GROWL and the degrowth movement as a whole.
6. Promote conviviality
Conviviality is a core aspect of the degrowth culture and politics. We want people to be convivial both on work and on their free time. Trainers should take this aspect seriously in this courses and try to make them a pleasant experience both for participants and the local communities where they take place.
Organizing practical activities with the local population, and especially using the course to give something to the place, or giving importance to local knowledges and cultures of the place.
Some examples of convivial activities you can include in a course schedule:
- planting a public or community food forest, where the local population is also invited to take part in.
- folk music and dance in the public space
- a debate on degrowth and a hot local political topic, followed by some form of celebration or exchange, like a popular dinner, wine drinking, or sharing local and international drinks.
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