CfP POLLEN18 – The Limits and Exclusions of Sustainable Development: a renewed pathway for socio-environmental transformation?

*** Forwarded on behalf of the organizer ***

CfP: POLLEN18: Political Ecology, the Green Economy, and Alternative Sustainabilities

20-22 June 2018, Oslo and Akershus University College, Oslo, Norway

The Limits and Exclusions of Sustainable Development: a renewed pathway for socio-environmental transformation?

This panel interrogates reiterations of sustainable development, as it becomes a guiding principle for global development following the 2015 launch of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is in response to increasing recognition of human-induced climate change, and in spite of the concept being much critiqued as a buzzword “unavoidable, powerful and floating free from concrete referents in a world of make-me-believe” (Adams 2009). In this panel, we will discuss contemporary and enduring challenges for alternative sustainabilities, by identifying what pathways have been opened up (or not) by the SDGs and by questioning the ability for local activists, conflicts and definitions of sustainability to scale-up.

Of particular interest are the political ecologies that are excluded, despite attempts by activists and social movements to reach up and benefit from global development infrastructure. In analysing the conflicts and contestations excluded by sustainable development discourse, as well as the reasons for these exclusions, this panel will highlight contemporary and enduring challenges for socio-environmental transformation (both theoretical and empirical) and will question the extent to which the SDGs influence the effect that big D development, taken as projects of intentional development, has on small d development, taken as ongoing processes of capitalism (Cowen and Shenton 1996; Hart 2001).

Papers should consider one or more of the following questions:

• What are social movement agendas and how do they relate to D and d development?
• What challenges face social movements in gaining the support of mainstream development actors (for example, international NGOs)?
• How are these agendas treated by mainstream development actors and why?
• How do international development actors negotiate national politics (for example, hostile governments)?

Please send a 300 word abstract and brief bio to Dr Jessica Hope by December 6^th 2017:

Jessica Hope, Vice-Chancellor´s Fellow, University of Bristol

jessicachloehope@gmail.com

https://politicalecologynetwork.com/pollen-biannual-conference/

Dr Jessica Hope

Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow | Cabot Institute & Department of Geography | University of Bristol