The purpose of the conference is to continue the debate on the ecological and equitable alternatives to mainstream economy and thinking, this time by raising the central issue of alternatives to global Capitalism and on possibilities for a No-Growth Agenda.
The Transform!Danmark network was founded in 2012 and this is the fourth international conference organised by the network.
Our aim is to contribute to the Danish debate with a critical and informed analysis of the society and create and participate in discussions on alternative development in Denmark as well as Europe and globally.
Conference language: English
Registration and further information: transform.denmark@gmail.com
Please register until 10 March 2014 (and indicate if you have special food requirements)
Participation fee: 100 DKK (to cover food – paid in cash at the entrance)
Organisers: Transform!Danmark in cooperation with transform! europe
Co-organizers: AfrikaKontakt, Enhedslisten/the Red‐Green Alliance, Grobund (left educational association), NOAH – Friends of the Earth Denmark and the left-wing magazines Det Ny Clarté, Kritisk Debat, and Solidaritet.
Updates on the programme, the speakers and their contributions at: www.transformdanmark.dk
Programme
9:30: Registration and coffee/tea
10:00: Welcome
10:15-11:00
Pablo Solon (Bolivia, Executive Director of Focus on the Global South): Confronting the Root Causes of Climate Change. Why we need to build a global movement to confront capitalism, anthropocentrism and reclaim real democracy to guarantee the rights of humans and Mother Earth
11:00-11:45
Richard Seymour(Great Britain, Marxist writer and broadcaster, political activist): From austerity to zero growth. Since austerity appears to be an anti-growth policy, the left respond is by bringing to power pro-growth governments. This is a trap. Austerity is a short-term shock; growth remains the religion of capitalism.
11:45-12:00: Coffee break
12:00-13:00: Questions and debate.
13:00-14:00: Lunch
14:00-17:00: Parallel seminars
Seminar 1: Global environment and climate
Tadzio Müller (Germany, Political Scientist, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation climate justice activist): The climate justice- and degrowth-movements are, on many levels, natural allies, seeing as that one has, what the other lacks: a set of strategic targets on the one hand, a social base in the global North on the other. Might their common focus be the fight against fossilistic capitalism?
Sukhgerel Dugersuren (Mongolia, Executive Director of Oyu Tolgoi Watch, human rights and environmental defender): On how change in the natural environment due to human activity and resulting climate change can have devastating impact on those dependent; on natural resources and generally large segments of population in poor countries losing access to land and pure water.
Jennifer Franco (tbc; the Netherlands, Transnational Institute, Co-coordinator of TNI’s Agrarian Justice work): On food sovereignty and agrarian justice versus global land and water grabbing.
15:45-16:00: Coffee break
16:00-17:00: Questions and debate
Seminar 2: Economic, social, and political developments and alternatives
Boaventura de Sousa Santos (Portugal, Professor of Sociology, University of Coimbra): Learning from the anti-imperial South: From Alternative Development to Alternatives to Development
Andreas Karitzis (Greece, Ph.D in philosophy, Nicos Poulantzas Institute): On developing alternatives to EU neo liberalism and austerity, as seen from the perspective and experience of SYRIZA, the Greek radical left.
Linn Stalsberg (Norway, sociologist and writer): Womens’ liberation in a neo-liberal age. Are we free now? Did capitalism seduce feminism into a dominant relationship?
15:45-16:00: Coffee break
16:00-17:00: Questions and debate
17:00-18:00: Concluding debate in plenary between the speakers of the conference and the participants on the main topics of the day.
18:30-19:30: Book reception – the presentation of the Danish publication of two recent books – one by Richard Seymour and one by Linn Stalsberg.