Session 4

Join us as we delve into the idea of degrowth communism one chapter at a time. No prior expertise required, just curiosity and a willingness to discuss the subject.

Should degrowth be aligned with communism, a line of thinking that has been considered to promote productivism? Can they provide us with an intellectual and political ground to adopt a sustainable society? With these questions in mind, we will critically read, meet, and discuss, Kohei Saito’s book ‘Marx in the Anthropocene: Towards the Idea of Degrowth Communism’ this coming spring.

In this book, Kohei Saito investigates new materials published in the complete works of Marx and Engels and presents us with a Marx quite at odds with conventional interpretations. The book offers a novel idea of Marx's alternative to capitalism that should be adequately characterized as degrowth communism.

In this reading group, we will read the book together in a friendly climate to critically discuss whether or not Saito’s arguments have any relevance for our future imaginations of a sustainable society. Welcome to join us in the task of figuring out an answer in seven sessions! This reading group is designed for anyone interested in exploring the topic, regardless of their previous knowledge.

About the reading group:

• The language spoken in the reading group will be English as the book is not translated into Dutch yet.
• The group will gather on every second Monday evening (excluding the holiday periods) at 19.00.
• Following sessions:
• May 27  (session 5)
• June 10  (session 6)
• June 24  (session 7)

The initiator and coordinator is Arınç Onat Kılıç, a PhD student at the University of Antwerp

Practicalities: 

• Where: De Groene Waterman - Wolstraat 7, 2000 Antwerp
• When: Monday 06 May at 19.00
• Registration is free. You can register via this email address: groenewaterman@groenewaterman.be