Book on systemic alternatives focuses on 'hoping for new times'

Dedicated "to young people, in the hope of new times," the book Systemic alternatives towards the sustainability of life. Released this Wednesday (October 29), it was organized by Unicamp professors Paulo Sérgio Fracalanza, from the Institute of Economics (IE), and Rosana Icassatti Corazza, from the Institute of Geosciences (IG), in order to provoke reflections on alternatives for fairer and more sustainable futures.

The book, a result of a gathering of ideas and concepts presented in the first three editions of the Cycle of Debates on Systemic Alternatives Towards the Sustainability of Life, which is part of the extension course "Capitalism and Environmental Crisis: Transitions and Alternatives," originated from a 2023 call for proposals from the Pro-Rectorate for Extension, Sports and Culture (Proeec) and is part of the University Extension Series publications collection of the Unicamp Press. "The aim was to present the rich results of an extension experience during undergraduate studies," explains Fracalanza.

Systemic alternatives, it is worth highlighting, represent diverse and integrated forms of social, economic, political, and cultural organization that are capable of opening up possibilities for transformation.

"Shortly before the pandemic, a group of graduate students, spurred by these themes, brought prominent figures into the debate, such as Alberto Acosta [Ecuadorian economist and writer, author of The Good Life – An Opportunity to Imagine Other Worlds“After the pandemic, we started to put together the debate series, which has already had four events,” reports Corazza. The fifth edition will begin on November 5th (see schedule below).

Along with the debates, the professors became acquainted with the publications of the Elefante publishing house and observed that the main authors dealing with systemic alternatives were beginning to be translated into Portuguese. “The topic of the environmental crisis is arid and difficult to assimilate from the perspective of the Anthropocene. New generations ask how they can act, what they can do,” continues Fracalanza. “Scientific knowledge has reached a point of tremendous anxiety, already called eco-anxiety,” adds Corazza.

The book begins with the theme "Capitalism and environmental crisis: diagnoses, perspectives and values ​​for the sustainability of life." In addition to the editors' introduction, guest authors—who view environmental collapse as a scientific consensus—offer perspectives on issues related to sustaining life, ecosocialism, and values ​​for confronting the risk of environmental collapse, such as equality, moderation, and equity.

“We brought together names like Enrique Ortega, who connects the concept of 'good living' through a reflection on human action on the planet and the possible options in an emergy analysis [of emerging]. Márcia Tait addresses sustaining life within feminisms, and Miguel Juan Bacic discusses the values ​​necessary to face the risk of climate collapse,” the professor exemplifies.

In the second part of the collection, entitled "Living Alternatives to Hope for the Sustainability of Life," the importance of water in the Cerrado biome, agri-food production, post-extractive activities, and finally, Franciscan economic thought and the encyclicals of Pope Francis are discussed. Laudato si fratelli, who recognize that the degradation of the planet is a reflection of human degradation and that solving one problem must involve solving the other.

The Pope wanted to “revitalize the economy,” Corazza recalls. To that end, he gathered a group of young people from various parts of the world. “The search is for alternatives to this form of economic organization that we have created and which is absolutely destructive. In this group is Mariana Rêis Maria, who presents the beautiful closing chapter of the book, 'The Economy of Francis and Clare'. A former student of the IE who is now a professor at the Institute, Mariana is part of this network created by Pope Francis and is one of the most important organizers here in Brazil,” says Fracalanza.

The professors emphasize that the alternative practices do not represent a search for a "one-size-fits-all solution." "There are many existing practices, and we are not talking about ideas that exist in theoretical dreams, but rather the need for these practices to be known and recognized. The alternatives have this power of enlightenment," Corazza adds.

Fifth cycle
The fifth edition of the Cycle of Debates on Systemic Alternatives Towards the Sustainability of Life, online and free of charge, begins on November 5th. The event will host experts from Unicamp and other institutions to discuss topics related to the climate emergency, such as the energy transition and the Capitalocene, as well as theoretical and practical approaches to addressing it, such as ecological political economy.

The debates continue throughout November, in four meetings, always on Wednesdays, from 19 pm to 21 pm, with live streaming on the official IE-Unicamp YouTube channel.

Click here to register.

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