Economic Futures
Climate Change and Modernity
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Rowman & Littlefield International
Published:2nd Oct '24
Should be back in stock very soon

The life of our planet has reached a critical stage. Its survival depends on our ability to rethink our relationship with ecology and create a new alternative economy that supports care and sustainability for our planet. This book advocates for economic distribution methods that do not keep producing emissions.
The life of our planet has reached a critical stage. Its survival depends on our ability to rethink our relationship with ecology, and create a new economy which does not rely on economic growth, and supports care and sustainability for our planet.
This book examines histories of alternative economic theories to advocate for different ways of economic distribution that do not keep producing emissions. It calls into question our philosophy of time, our relationship with ecology, and the original creation of debt, interest, and ways of avoiding exponential economic growth. The author uses ideas from Maori philosophy, Mesopotamian finance and quantum mechanics to set out a new basis for economic theory which is no longer set up on greedy individualism, or a hierarchical trickle-down effect, or even overall economic growth. Instead, this new materialist philosophy emphasises the integration of humanity and the ecosystem, and sets out to create a philosophy of economics built on interconnection and care.
Ruth Irwin’s thoroughly researched book provides a robust critique of the economic and technological orthodoxies that threaten our humanity and future, expounds a cogent heterodox alternative, and illuminates pathways towards life-affirming ecological and community health. This is necessary heresy—and as such should be welcomed, widely read and celebrated. -- Stephen Sterling, professor emeritus of sustainability education, University of Plymouth
A significant contribution to the eco-social-cultural change literature. Imagining something other than the economics of infinite growth has long been difficult for modernist humanity. Gathering diverse wisdoms, Irwin first imagines then makes possible a different economics. What could be more important than an economics built on interconnection and eco-care? -- Sean Blenkinsop, Simon Fraser University
ISBN: 9781786615114
Dimensions: 235mm x 158mm x 21mm
Weight: 544g
348 pages