Towards a Contemplative Commons

Post-capitalism has become the subject of much recent debate, spurred by publications from Jeremy Rifkin (2015), Paul Mason (2016), J. K. Gibson-Graham (2006), Left Accelerationists like Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams (2015), and members of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Degrowth communities. Though there is no uniform agreement among its proponents, post-capitalism seems generally characterized by a reemergence of the commons. Realizing a successful transition to a post-capitalist, commons-based political economy will not only depend on the capacity for new technologies and social relations to alter the balance of political and economic power; it will also depend on developing social practices that underlie a broader cultural shift. Though there exists some scholarship on the social and cultural dimensions of a commons-based transition, there is comparatively little work that approaches its ethical and contemplative dimensions. Likewise, though there exists some scholarship on the contemplative dimensions of social transformation and sustainability, very little is situated in the context of the political economy. In an effort to bridge these gaps, this workshop seeks to convene scholars and stakeholders who have an interest or expertise in developing ethical and contemplative approaches to post-capitalism and commoning.

If you are interested in participating, please submit to Zack Walsh at zachary.walsh@cst.edu a CV and a one-page letter of intent explaining your interest in the topic and how it relates to your work.

For more details, visit the event website here. See the workshop announcement and call for participation here (PDF). See the flyer here (PDF).

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