is a new way of thinking about how we respond to the state of the world. It was introduced by Jem Bendell (Professor of Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cumbria) as a way of shaping the conversation towards what needs to be done, and now. Deep Adaptation is a response to the ‘tragedy of climate change’ and the dominance of neoliberal economics since the 1970s, which has led to hyper-individualist, market fundamentalist, incremental and atomistic approaches to how we shape our societies and living practices. But there are ways to talk about sustainability, healing and the future that are not full of despair. Deep Adaptations are about a realistic but positive future of the climate debate that is not hopeless, how we talk about what sustainability leadership involves, how we need to heal capitalism, and how we are in the right time and place to ask ourselves tough questions about who we are, and can be. Three key areas for thinking through these questions are:
involves people and communities letting go of certain assets, behaviours and beliefs where retaining them could make matters worse.
involves people and communities better coping with disruptions, such as how river catchments can better cope with rains, or how buildings can better cope with floods.
involves people and communities rediscovering attitudes and approaches to life and organisation that the hydrocarbon-fuelled civilisation eroded.
Commissioned by The Newbridge Project, Shift and Signal is a response to the Deep Adaptation Agenda by Dr Alex Lockwood, a journalist, writer, activist and scholar who's been working in areas of climate change, development praxis and critical animal studies since 2001. The project is an attempt to SHIFT us beyond stuck conversations about how we implement change, with a focus on identity psychology and obstacles to change under the threat of crisis, and then to SIGNAL towards responses and better ways of living that are already appearing.
The term 'Shift and Signal' is taken from the Food Citizenship Report produced by The New Citizenship Project
Image: Bearing Witness to the Animal Agriculture Industry (c) Anita Kranjc
THE PODCASTS
If we’re really going to change the habits that have brought us to the brink of mass extinction and societal collapse, then we...
Ideas of being good enough are central to the Western lifestyle that says it’s okay for each of us in the UK to...
Is it possible to relinquish our humanity? Would that make us in-human? Wouldn’t that just make the crises we face such as climate...
If we’re going to live in balance with the world, not use more than our fair share of resources, and build more resilient...
Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 May 2018 The Shift and Signal School is three days of workshops, sharing, live recordings, and celebration of our commitment...
All change is bodily change; that’s the lesson we’re learning from neuroscience. That’s why changing our habits is hard; they become part of...
According to the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organisation, we may have only 60 seasons of soil left. If we don’t care for...
Only Donald Trump and those who make their millions from the fossil fuel industry continue to deny climate change is happening, and they...
This live recording was the final part of the series, and invited those involved via downloading, listening, sharing, and coming on the guided...
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