Becoming a Post-Growth Planner #29: Sofia Greaves

Episode #29 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Dr Sofia Greaves (Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). "Post-Growth Planning is in need of creative methods for collectively imagining new futures". Reflecting on experiences with artists and arts-based methods in Thamesmead, London. Pondering on the question how art can be a form of research, of generating new narratives and stories, and a contribution to community-building. Working through tensions within artists and dangers of artwashing. Delving into recent projects moving from arts to engineering in Oslo and transdisciplinary research that integrates music, sounds, and painting, into environmental engineering. Uncovering the vortex of flow and creating an album of fluid motion that includes stories and experiences as data. Advocating for an emotional planning and the question how we might bring that kind of data into decision-making.

Episode #28 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Prof Dr Christian Schulz (University of Luxembourg). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). "Within the discipline, there is something going in…". Reflecting on a decade of post-growth thinking in economic geography and spatial planning. Following diverse understandings and misunderstandings and post-growth practices in central Europe. Focusing on horizontal replication, learning, and regional perspectives. Understanding the importance of the social dimension in a post-growth transformation. Taking up the democratic idea and democratic challenge, e.g., towards critical thinking regarding housing policies and questions of land and land ownership. Identifying future hope in young scholars, students, and growing engagement in the discipline. Utilising experience from own research projects and two research-practice working groups on post-growth geographies and well-being.

Episode #27 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Dr Sophie Sturup (Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, China). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). "What kind of humans would populate the world that is actually sustainable?" Looking beyond individualism and the multiple beings, we are, and we can be in the world. Explaining the dangers of conceptualizing ourselves as separate from everything else. Using insights from Aboriginal thinking in Australia to remind science and ourselves about exposure to other worlds and the imperfection of language. Each of us matters, and the collective is me - working towards responsibility as something we take on as a duty of care to others. Pondering on own pathways into academia, towards governmentality, transport planning, public-private partnerships, and post-growth. Calling for authority and authenticity to speak in opportunities of participatory planning. Post-growth planning is not just an idea; it is something we must actually do.

Episode #26 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Dr Izabela Mironowicz (Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). "It is not enough that you believe, you have to practice too". Reflecting on experience and action in research, education, and practice in Poland, Austria, Germany, and Europe. Talking about scope of action within planning and legal systems, private and collective action, citizens and consumers, post-socialist housing estates, democracy and degrowth values. Pondering on historical backgrounds of cities and contemporary re-interpretations and positive narratives for the future. Explaning discussions on the integration of post-growth into education for students, practitioners, and activists. Positioning education as a tool to empower people and to empower a broader society. Moving towards post-growth planning as planning for nature, taking into account the needs of humans.

Episode #25 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Luciana Maia (futurbanos, Germany). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). Can you be right in the wrong environment? Working through localising global agendas in diverse contexts, into legacies and relations between Global North and Global South, and recent international experiences. Arguing with post-growth principles, layers of decision-making and the power of Doughnut Economics as a model. Strengthening the importance of a common language and terminology, of listening as a precondition for dialogue and understanding, and providing hope and optimism for the future by connecting urgencies with normative ideas by diverse people. Post-Growth planning as a crucial piece of the puzzle and a pathway for collectively slowing down.

Episode #24 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Anton Brokow-Loga (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). Reflecting on the interfaces between sustainability, post-growth, and democracy, early seeds of post-growth debates in Germany, experiences in local politics, growth coalitions and political images, political shifts in Europe and threats to democracy, but also education, engagement, and sources for future optimism. Arguing for politicizing the sustainability debate in spatial planning and identifying points of intervention.

Episode #23 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Dr Benedikt Schmid (University of Freiburg, Germany). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). Talking about experience from working groups on post-growth geographies and alternative approaches to prosperity, the common good in housing and district development in Freiburg/Germany and beyond, making limits visible and navigable, the importance of adopting a critical perspective, to be courageous by engaging and questioning and the key of listening to wishes, potentials, and abilities.

Episode #22 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Dr Jakub Rok (University of Warsaw, Poland). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands).

Episode #21 of “Becoming a Post-Growth Planner: Obstacles and Challenges to Changing Roles and Practices” with Dr Angelos Varvarousis (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands).

Episode #20 of “Becoming a post-growth planner: obstacles and challenges to changing roles and practices” with Prof Dr Thomas Hartmann (TU Dortmund University, Germany). In conversation with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands).