Transformative Talk: Feminist Ecological Economics and Degrowth
Panel Conversation with Emma Holten and Tone Smith
In this time of escalating poly crises, alternative economic thinking is challenging the hegemony of mainstream economics. Diverse bodies of scholarship, and particularly the field of feminist ecological economics, are advancing questions on whether and how work, time, particular people, nature, and care are valued – or not – in mainstream economic thinking.
We therefore invite you to join us for an afternoon panel conversation on feminist ecological economics! Cultural critic and author Emma Holten and ecological economist, author, and degrowth activist Tone Smith will discuss the rise and limitations of dominant economic models, while shedding light on how economic jargon has infiltrated most areas of politics, without people really understanding what these economic concepts mean, and which values and world views they entail.
So how do these two schools of thought – feminist and ecological economics – help us rethink economics and how we value and nourish people and planet? Do they agree on a solution? And how can Emma Holten’s and Tone Smith’s positions at the intersection of research and practice inspire transformative change?
Emma Holten is a cultural critic, literary scholar, public speaker and author of the 2024 book ‘Underskud – om værdien af omsorg’, now also published in English as ‘Deficit – How feminist economics can change our world’.
Dr. Tone Smith is an independent scholar of Ecological Economics as well as Vice-President of the Europeans Society for Ecological Economics and co-founder of Degrowth Norway and Rethinking Economics Norway. Tone is the editor of the Norwegian book ‘Økonomisk tenkning – Bidrag til mangfold i økonomifaget’.
After the talk there will be a reception with drinks and snacks.
The event begins on time – if you are late, please ring the doorbell and the reception will let you in.
About the Transformative Talks
We live in a time of crises, but also of possibilities. It calls for bold and progressive societal transformations that go beyond incrementalism and reliance on technological innovation alone. While there is no shortage of theoretical principles for transformation within academia, concrete examples and experiences are scarce on how one can enact transformation in practice. In the transformative talks series, we invite scholars, change makers, and thought leaders to share insights on the how of societal transformations and examples of transformations happening around us already today.
The series is co-organized by the following groups and centres at the University of Copenhagen:
The Degrowth Thematic Solution under the Green Solutions Centre
The Centre for Applied Ecological Thinking
UCPH Degrowth Network
Rethink IFRO