We are a Malmö-based group of academics and activists, but most of all a group of people concerned about the prevailing narrative of economic growth and its destructive environmental and social effects. We were registered as a volunteer-driven non-profit organization (“ideell förening”) after organising the 6th International Degrowth Conference. Since then, we have mostly arranged public events such as lectures and workshops to discuss and learn about degrowth and the degrowth movement. In our more recent activities, we are extending our work outwards, with a project that has the working title ‘A People’s Green New Deal for Malmö’. The goal of the project is to start building a coalition for social movements in the area (Malmö-Lund). Next to this, we continue to organize activities such as study circles and social gatherings, both for those who are actively involved in the group and for the wider public.
Table of contents
institute_for_degrowth_studies_malmo_active-request@lists.riseup.net
Working Languages
English
Interview
What are the main objectives of the group? We want to spread knowledge on degrowth. This can be amongst our own members (for example, exploring recent publications together), but also amongst the broader public, by organising all kinds of events with a low entry level.
Where are you active geographically? (country/cities): Located in Malmö, Sweden and mostly active there and in the closeby Lund.
Since when have you been active? The group stems from the 2015-16 multidisciplinary research theme on degrowth at the Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies (Lund University), and took shape during the organisation of the 6th International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity in Malmö
How many members are you? The number of active members fluctuates between about 5 and 10
How are you organized? Since we are a registered volunteer-driven organisation, we have a board with a chair, a treasurer and an additional board member. In practice, these roles are purely administrative. As a group, we decide together what we want to organise in the upcoming months at the beginning of each semester.
Main events/actions carried out: We organize activities such as movie screenings, book/study circles and social gatherings for those who are actively involved in the group. You can find our past and upcoming events here: https://degrowth.se/events. Last semester, we organised a series of three events, each with their own topic (Introduction to degrowth, Planned obsolescence and the energy and material footprint of the digital world and Cooperative forms of organising.
Plans for the future: This semester, we are hosting a study circle, where we prepare study materials and participants get to know degrowth from different perspectives. During the sessions in May and June, we will take the angles of ‘labour and organising’ and ‘wellbeing and welfare’. Usually, one or more of our members take part in the International Degrowth Conferences, which will be the case for the Pontevedra conference as well.
Connections with IDN: Chaïm De Mulder
Group photo: 6th Int. Degrowth Conference, Malmö, Sweden 21-25 August 2018
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