The new publication ‘Slowing down to recover life’ articulates the proposals of ecofeminism and Degrowth to seek alternatives to the capitalist system.
A year ago, we began a process of reflection on the possibility of mutual influence between Degrowth and (eco)feminism, to build bridges and broaden perspectives, in which more than 30 activists and researchers participated. We had feminist and queer activists, defenders of the territory of Latin America and Spain, ecological and decolonial researchers, feminist economists, cooperativists… with very diverse perspectives on Degrowth, but all interested in the possibility of articulating joint critiques and alternatives to the capitalist system.
Can Degrowth be an ecofeminist alternative? This is the question with which we launched the conversations, which have led us to imagine a synthesis of both currents (Degrowth and ecofeminism) to propose new ways of inhabiting and reorganising the world that do not subordinate one crisis to another and that recognise the full diversity of subjects of transformation who are fighting against growth.
We have conceived these pages as a notebook that compiles analyses and debates to help us better situate ourselves when reflecting on alternatives and how to promote them. We are aware that analysing the crises of the system in all their complexity, as well as building bridges between different forms of activism, can sometimes overwhelm us. That is why we believe it is useful to make proposals for synthesis that (without being exhaustive) help us to situate ourselves. It also helps us to recover genealogies, remember where we come from, and not start from scratch every time.
Furthermore, we hope that this publication will help us gauge ecofeminist perspectives and thus identify whether a campaign, a demand, an alliance, or a specific action would fit into a process of transformation that leads us towards ecofeminist Degrowth. Above all, taking into account the importance of weaving alternatives from comprehensive perspectives, which also incorporate decoloniality, criticism of heteronormativity, rural perspectives, etc.
Specifically, you will find, among other things, a commitment to implementing eight ecofeminist principles that summarise much of the debate that has taken place so far. In addition to an approach to some strategic debates, such as the construction of ecofeminist narratives that can reconnect us with the possibility of achieving other presents and futures, far removed from the increasingly prevalent denialist, racist and anti-feminist perspectives.