Competence Centre

for Infrastructure Economics, Public Services and Social Provisioning

New Publication

 

 

Event

14th – 16th September 2023, Technische Universität Wien

6th Foundational Economy Conference, Vienna, Austria

Exploring the Foundational Economy for a Just Transition

From the 14th-16th September 2023 we welcomed the 6th Foundational Economy Conference in the heart of Vienna!

Below you can find the videos and presentation of the keynotes:

Julie Froud, University of Manchester: The crisis of everyday liveability & what to do about it
Corinna Dengler, Vienna University of Economics and Business: Feminist Lessons for the Foundational Economy
Max Koch, Lund University: Welfare in degrowth transformations
Mathew Lawrence, Common Wealth Think Tank: Owning the Future – Building democratic ownership

We want to also highlight a few events that might be of interest:

1)     Webinar series by the International Karl Polanyi Society Shaping provisioning systems for social-ecological transformation: Decent Care for all within Planetary Boundaries

2)     Conference on Transformative Change in the Contested Fields of Care and Housing in Europe from 2nd to 4th of December in Linz, Austria

Presentation Download (PDF)

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About the economy we need every day

The economy we need every day includes infrastructures, public services and forms of local infrastructures and social services. It is that part of a foundational economy that ensures a good life for all, enabling us to live together healthily, safely and peacefully without social, economic and ecological insecurity. The economy we need every day includes:

  • energy and water supply, waste disposal, mobility, postal services, internet services and housing
  • health and social care, child- and eldercare, education, housework and other forms of paid and unpaid care work
  • food production and supply, medical supplies, cultural services and even retail banking

This part of the economy comprises everyday foundational and essential goods and services as well as critical infrastructures for households and other institutions and organisations.

Strengthening, securing and expanding public provision is of central importance in the crisis-ridden times that we live in, from the climate and biodiversity crisis to the increasing social inequality and polarisation of our societies. In this sense strengthening infrastructures, public services and social provisioning is a cornerstone of the transition required across energy, mobility, agricultural and other sectors in order to secure basic services, create decent work and ensure social security in line with principles of social and ecological justice.

Foundational infrastructures, public services and social provisioning cannot simply be subordinated to market logics. Instead it requires comprehensive public planning, provision, financing and regulation in order to ensure a good life for all.

Contact

    2023

    September 14th to 16th 2023, Technische Universität Wien

    6th Foundational Economy Conference, Vienna, Austria

    Exploring the Foundational Economy for a Just Transition

    From the 14th-16th September 2023 we welcome the 6th Foundational Economy Conference in the heart of Vienna! During our conference there will be keynote speakers and plenary sessions, parallel sessions as well as working groups and city walks. Keynotes will be given by Julie Froud from the University of Manchester, Corinna Dengler from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Mathew Lawrence from the Common Wealth Think Tank and Max Koch from Lund University.

    Multiple crises – war, global warming, disasters, famine and social injustice – are generating heightened insecurity among populations and are triggering the search for security and stability. Defending, strengthening and expanding accessible, affordable and sustainable foundational goods and services is thus a cornerstone of an eco-social transformation that can secure everyone’s basic needs. This conference brings together academics and practitioners to critically engage with the concept of the Foundational Economy and explore potentials for strengthening and building better foundational systems. A key concern thereby is to put approaches to the Foundational Economy in conversation with feminist, degrowth and intersectional perspectives on social provisioning  and eco-social transformation.

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