Towards a critical understanding of work in ecological economics: A postwork perspective
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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in: Ecological Economics, Jahrgang 212, 107935, 10.2023.
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Towards a critical understanding of work in ecological economics
T2 - A postwork perspective
AU - Gerold, Stefanie
AU - Hoffmann, Maja
AU - Aigner, Ernest
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - In this paper we critically assess common perceptions of work to inform current debates on work in ecological economics. Work is usually conceived as (1) a productive activity (2) that satisfies consumer demand, (3) is conducive to health and well-being, and (4) ensures social inclusion and personal development. Drawing on the burgeoning literature of postwork or critiques of work, we argue that work may rather be understood as a biophysically intense, consumption-causing, heteronomous institution with ambivalent health impacts that stabilises societies in environmentally and socially unsustainable ways. Therefore, work should be radically reduced and organised differently so that it is no longer the main mechanism for livelihood provisioning and social inclusion. Based on our fourfold critique of work developed in this paper, we sketch out a postwork research agenda for ecological economics.
AB - In this paper we critically assess common perceptions of work to inform current debates on work in ecological economics. Work is usually conceived as (1) a productive activity (2) that satisfies consumer demand, (3) is conducive to health and well-being, and (4) ensures social inclusion and personal development. Drawing on the burgeoning literature of postwork or critiques of work, we argue that work may rather be understood as a biophysically intense, consumption-causing, heteronomous institution with ambivalent health impacts that stabilises societies in environmentally and socially unsustainable ways. Therefore, work should be radically reduced and organised differently so that it is no longer the main mechanism for livelihood provisioning and social inclusion. Based on our fourfold critique of work developed in this paper, we sketch out a postwork research agenda for ecological economics.
KW - Critique of work
KW - Ecological economics
KW - Employment
KW - Postwork
KW - Social-ecological transformation
KW - Sustainability
KW - Work
KW - Sustainability Science
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165202144&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.107935
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.107935
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85165202144
VL - 212
JO - Ecological Economics
JF - Ecological Economics
SN - 0921-8009
M1 - 107935
ER -