Cultures of Transition and Sustainability : Culture After Capitalism

Contending that culture lies at the root of our current planetary and civilizational crisis, this book uniquely explores the nature of the specifically cultural dimensions of that crisis and how culture relates to the areas of politics, policy, economics, ecology and the whole discourse of sustainability. It debates how profoundly our world is shaped by capitalist culture, emphasizing the import of political culture and policy, social justice, leadership and community in the shaping of a new cultural sustainability. It also reintroduces questions of religion, art, citizenship and comparative culture into the sustainability debate and suggests ways in which the central issue of consumer culture can be rethought and others in which socially satisfactory transitions to a sustainable future might be achieved. Addressing the specific role of culture in our crisis and of how to build cultural resources for transition, this cutting edge text provides the reader with an introduction to the literature on culture and sustainability, and both practical and theoretical tools for creating and advancing a humane and ecologically responsible future. "Preface"--"Acknowledgments"--"Contents" -- "Chapter 1: The Cultural and Civilizational Roots of Our Planetary Crisis" -- "The Meaning of Sustainability" -- "The Cultural Dimensions of Sustainability" -- "Culture and Development Revisited" -- "Approaching Sustainable Cultures" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 2: Culture in Crisis" -- "Consumption and Its Vicissitudes" -- "The Culture of Violence" -- "Life Enhancing/Life Denying" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 3: Cultural Resources for Sustainability" -- "Reclaiming Consumption" -- "Art and the Arts of Sustainability" -- "The Religious Dimensions of Sustainability" -- "In Summary" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 4: Culture and Economy: Rethinking the Relationship" -- "Linking Culture and Economy" -- "Looking Back, Looking Forwards" -- "Economies and Societies of Reciprocity" -- "The Culture of Economies Beyond Oil" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 5: Transforming Political Cultures" -- "Rethinking Political Culture" -- "The Wider Context of Politics" -- "Social Movements and New Politics" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 6: Sustainability, Cultural Citizenship and the Ecological Self" -- "Deep Ecology and the Buddhist World View" -- "Common Earth/Common Humanity/Common Citizenship?" -- "Encounter on the Ground of Nature" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 7: Rethinking Sustainability" -- "Many Sustainabilities?" -- "New Cultures/New Issues" -- "Culture and Structure in Sustainability" -- "Bibliography" -- "Chapter 8: Cultural Futures: Getting There From Here" -- "Models" -- "Mechanisms and Methodology" -- "Managing Transition" -- "Outcomes" -- "Bibliography" -- "Bibliography." Preface 6 Acknowledgments 8 Contents 10 Chapter 1: The Cultural and Civilizational Roots of Our Planetary Crisis 11 The Meaning of Sustainability 14 The Cultural Dimensions of Sustainability 17 Culture and Development Revisited 21 Approaching Sustainable Cultures 26 Bibliography 30 Chapter 2: Culture in Crisis 33 Consumption and Its Vicissitudes 35 The Culture of Violence 44 Life Enhancing/Life Denying 46 Bibliography 48 Chapter 3: Cultural Resources for Sustainability 50 Reclaiming Consumption 50 Art and the Arts of Sustainability 55 The Religious Dimensions of Sustainability 66 In Summary 70 Bibliography 70 Chapter 4: Culture and Economy: Rethinking the Relationship 74 Linking Culture and Economy 76 Looking Back, Looking Forwards 83 Economies and Societies of Reciprocity 86 The Culture of Economies Beyond Oil 91 Bibliography 97 Chapter 5: Transforming Political Cultures 100 Rethinking Political Culture 103 The Wider Context of Politics 110 Social Movements and New Politics 115 Bibliography 123 Chapter 6: Sustainability, Cultural Citizenship and the Ecological Self 126 Deep Ecology and the Buddhist World View 128 Common Earth/Common Humanity/Common Citizenship? 133 Encounter on the Ground of Nature 137 Bibliography 142 Chapter 7: Rethinking Sustainability 145 Many Sustainabilities? 146 New Cultures/New Issues 151 Culture and Structure in Sustainability 156 Bibliography 159 Chapter 8: Cultural Futures: Getting There From Here 162 Models 163 Mechanisms and Methodology 170 Managing Transition 173 Outcomes 180 Bibliography 181 Bibliography 185 Index 186 Front Matter....Pages i-ix The Cultural and Civilizational Roots of Our Planetary Crisis....Pages 1-22 Culture in Crisis....Pages 23-39 Cultural Resources for Sustainability....Pages 41-64 Culture and Economy: Rethinking the Relationship....Pages 65-90 Transforming Political Cultures....Pages 91-116 Sustainability, Cultural Citizenship and the Ecological Self....Pages 117-135 Rethinking Sustainability....Pages 137-153 Cultural Futures: Getting There From Here....Pages 155-177 Back Matter....Pages 179-194