Author | Lightnews

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · 17d

Have you subscribed to our newsletter yet?
rethinkeconomics.org/newsletter/

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Aug 29

📚 Weekend reads with the RE #Blog

#Saturday
Who is Homo Economicus? Rethink the “rational maximiser” and centre care & interdependence. 👉 bit.ly/3JnQciH

#Sunday
The Secret History of David Ricardo: Beyond Econ 101 myths about trade. 👉 bit.ly/4oJj6tS

3

Reposted by Rethinking Economics International

Positive Money UK @positivemoneyuk.bsky.social · Aug 18

Join @positivemoneyuk.bsky.social and @greencb.bsky.social for the launch of our East and Southeast Asia Green Central Banking Scorecard 👇

📅Weds 10th September
⏰ 9am-10:30am BST / 4pm-5:30pm MYT / 5pm-6:30pm JST
🖥️ Zoom

➡️Find out more and register:

East and Southeast Asia Green Central Banking Scorecard launch

Join us for the launch of the East and Southeast Asia Green Central Banking Scorecard: Wednesday 10th September 9am BST / 4pm MYT / 5pm JST.

bit.ly

3 2

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Aug 27

The climate, biodiversity & social crises share the same root: our current economy.

🌍 Join us at Next Economies Summit 2025 (12–14 Sept, Istanbul) to co-create just & regenerative futures.

🔗 Register: bit.ly/3JlzCzV

#NextEconomies2025

1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Aug 22

📚 Weekend Reads with the RE Blog

👉 Saturday: The decline of History of Economic Thought (HET) in economics classrooms—and why it matters. bit.ly/45LSD6j

👉 Sunday: What would advertising look like if aligned with degrowth, sufficiency & sustainability? bit.ly/41QVPfB

1 2

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Jun 10

1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Jun 4

1 4

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · May 24

Tired of vague climate talk with no economic backup? 🌀
Join our Economics for Climate Action workshop!

📅 June 18 | 🕔 5–8PM
📍 London
⚫Sign up: bit.ly/4mzDPiQ...
📩 [email protected]

#ClimateJustice #EcologicalEconomics #EconForClimate #RethinkEconomics

3

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 30

We need a new system.

To get there, we need new narratives for how we talk about the system.

Narratives that link economic policies to people's lived experiences.

That's one of the reasons Rethinking Economics exists! Join us: www.rethinkeconomics.org/get-involved/

Photo of people in a crowd with pink filter over. Text explains that we all experience the economy differently despite living under the same system and that the way the media talks about the economy obscures this. A screenshot of a headline talking about growth is an example but growth for who?

1 2 3

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 28

Extractivism takes land, resources, and essentials away from the communities that need it all for the profit of a small minority.

Orange background, purple title with white highlight says 'environmental impacts'. Text says: "Extraction of natural resources is leading us to climate breakdown. Whether because of fossil fuels are extracted and burnt or because extracting other natural resources at huge scale causes destruction from biodiversity loss to soil degradation or water shortages. Even sustainable resources become unsustainable under extractivism because they are extracted at such a high rate that they can’t naturally replenish quick enough. Extractivism treats the environment as an externality"

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 28

Extractivism is bad for people & planet.

Same background as the previous slide. Text says: A photo of two diggers by a mine with a purple and orange hue. Text says: "Extractivism has been a mechanism of colonial and neo-colonial plunder.
Extractivism was established on a huge scale around 500 years ago as part of colonialisation on the American, African, and Asian continents. This colonialism & exploitation of natural resources led to huge inequality. Social impacts: Extractivism allows a small minority to benefit from the extraction of natural resources. This leads to inequality both in the area where the natural resources are extracted and internationally - as those along the chain profit from them."

1 1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 28

The environment as an externality? That's exactly how is works under an extractivist system.

A photo of two diggers by a mine with a purple and orange hue. Over the top block highlighted text in orange and purple says 'Extractivism & economics'. Extractivism is a system based on the extraction - and exploitation - of natural resources. It comes with significant social and environmental impacts including climate breakdown and huge inequality. The term originated in Latin America from academics and grassroots activists. It stems from the ‘extractivismo’ discourse which centres the lands and communities directly affected by extractive projects." A photo of a protest banner with a slogan in Spanish is below.

1 1 2

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 23

School, health, and economic infrastructure are at a standstill and millions of people have been displaced.

Text says: Since 2021, the resurgence of fighting has caused the displacement of more than seven million* people taking refuge in other countries, often in precarious living conditions. Below is a photo of displaced people taking shelter in a centre around the city it shows lots of people and children in a hall. The source of the figure quoted as 'more than seven million' is peace direct. The conflict has left school, health and economic infrastructure at a standstill and there is widespread violence against civilians, including rape, murder and looting. The conflict is also threatening biodiversity in the area. The conflict is a reflection of a series of deeper problems: institutional weakness, greed for resources, regional and national interference, poor distribution of wealth, corruption and community exclusion.

1 1 1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 23

Joseph Kabila was reported as being in North Kivu, an area occupied by the M23.

Although Congolese citizens are not prohibited from traveling to the areas occupied by the M23 movement, his presence raises questions.

Bold highlighted title says: What has the response been? Text says: When M23 captured Goma in 2012 they were swiftly pushed back & there was a lot of intentional pressure. This time regional and international leaders have been reticent to take sides. There are some mediation efforts going on but they are struggling to produce concrete results. The Congolese population demands the immediate withdrawal of M23 & respect for national sovereignty. Below is a newspaper headline that says Angola ends mediation role in DRC-Rwanda conflict amid failed talk.

1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 23

As well as this, the former president of the DRC, Joseph Kabila's shadow still hangs over the dynamics of the East, especially since his name often comes up in informal discussions behind the scenes of local alliances.

Bold highlighted title says: Who are M23?. Text says: M23 is a rebel group formed from a mutiny of veterans. Reports from the UN & human rights organisations show Rwanda to be providing military support for M23, which Rwanda denies despite the evidence. The situation of the Congolese Tutsi ethnic group adds a complex identity dimension to this conflict. Eastern DRC is a mineral rich region with minerals that are crucial for technology and the green transition (cobalt, tungsten, etc) and this is another factor in the conflict. Beside is a photo of a block of Tungsten.

1 1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 23

Here's our brief explainer on the situation in Eastern DRC ⬇️

All the slides have a dark blue background with bold, highlighted text that says A brief explanation of the situation in eastern DRC. 'Since the end of 2021, the east of the DRC has been plunged into a serious security crisis. The armed group M23 was beaten in 2013 but returned in 2021 with attacks against the Congolese army (FARDC).' And a map of North and South Kivu where most of the conflict is. The conflict escalated in January this year when M23 advanced rapidly, seizing the city of Goma, killing hundreds and wounding thousands, and the town of Bukavu in Feb. Below is a photo of a street in Goma with flat roofed houses running down the side.

1 1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 16

Join our next webinar to help you bring doughnut econ into your teaching - tomorrow!

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 9

Our next webinar to support you to get doughnut econ into your teaching is coming up next Thursday!

📅 Thursday 17th April - 9-10.30am BST

Sign up here: actionnetwork.org/events/dough...

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Mar 31

Today! ⬇️

Are you an academic keen to include doughnut econ in your teaching?

With @doughnuteconomics.bsky.social we're running a webinar to support this emerging academic community of practice.

⏰ 31st March (6-7.30pm CET)

Register: bit.ly/4hLSp2Q

(There'll be a second if you can't make today's)

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 16

In Jan, Rethinking Economics hosted a @eeb.org workshop to discuss the EU's latest buzzword.

Here are some key things that came out of it.

Read more in our latest blog post: bit.ly/42g6BNi

Green and black background with two arms in an arm wrestle. Curved white text says 'Sustainable competitiveness' is a contradiction. ‘Sustainable competitiveness’ is a new EU buzzword. The free market is defined by open competition. ‘Sustainable competitiveness’ claims to balance economic growth with environmental protection. This is a contradiction. it frames ecological & social concerns within a growth-driven logic that prioritises profitability. Beside is a photo of a world with text which says: Which risks protecting this (& us!). If we keep framing green policies in a competitive lens we risk: Increasing inequality, Delaying systemic change, Prolonging extractivism as Europe competes for materials for the transition.

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 9

Our next webinar to support you to get doughnut econ into your teaching is coming up next Thursday!

📅 Thursday 17th April - 9-10.30am BST

Sign up here: actionnetwork.org/events/dough...

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Mar 31

Today! ⬇️

Are you an academic keen to include doughnut econ in your teaching?

With @doughnuteconomics.bsky.social we're running a webinar to support this emerging academic community of practice.

⏰ 31st March (6-7.30pm CET)

Register: bit.ly/4hLSp2Q

(There'll be a second if you can't make today's)

Pink and blue gradient background with a photo of an old computer in the bottom left. Pink text says: Join our webinar! Doughnut Economics for University: How to bring the doughnut into your teaching. 31st March, 17th April. They cover the same content so you only need to join one!

1 2

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 9

What do you think? Is it time to detangle the two?

Let us know!

Read more: bit.ly/4js61lm

1 1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 9

Having strong stances on degrowth and capitalism is one of the areas in which the two ideologies differ.

Pink background with pink circles and text that says: The term originated in the 1970s and its influence has grown. It’s premised on the view that capitalism & it’s growth is incompatible with a safe environment and a socially just society. It explicitly calls for a post-capitalist social structure. But there have been mixed messages by proponents of the wellbeing economy about growth and capitalism. It is not clear whether they believe a wellbeing economy is post-capitalist and anti-growth. Below is a photo of a person shrugging their shoulders with a question mark beside them.

1 1

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 9

The wellbeing economy is built on ideas from the degrowth movement but there's actually quite a bit of difference between the two movements.

Pink background with pink circles and text saying: "The wellbeing economy is an alternative economic vision of the economy that centres participation, community and redistribution all within ecological limits. It targets a broad audience and has lots of supporters. It draws a lot of ideas from the post-growth movement. There’s an idea that by centering wellbeing more people will be brought onboard than if it had an ‘ideology-based’ name - ie degrowth." Beside is a photo of graffiti that says 'the only sustainable growth is degrowth'.

1 1 2

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 9

Our financial system is broken - we can all agree

So how do we create a sustainable system for people & planet?

Join this webinar with @roberthockett.bsky.social, @maxjerneck.bsky.social & Ellen Brown, Public Banking Institute

📅 Wednesday 23 April (7-8.30pm CEST)

▶️ monreform.org/webinar-hock...

🗓 Webinar 23/4: "From Speculation to Sustainability"

🚀 Join 19 global orgs to Reclaim Finance for People and Planet! Limited spots – Secure yours now! →

monreform.org

1 4 5

Reposted by Rethinking Economics International

michael mezzatesta @michaelmezz.bsky.social · Apr 8

capitalism frames sustainability as a "personal choice" while fossil fuel companies collect $7 million in subsidies every minute.

this isn't about your choice of straw — it's about power.

1 3 14

Rethinking Economics International @rethinkecon.bsky.social · Apr 7

Get the chance to join the International Conference on Financing for Development ⬇️

@unyouthaffairs.bsky.social will support five 18-35-year-old's from: Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, State of Palestine, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia to join!

Deadline: Thursday 10th April

Apply: bit.ly/3RB0b54

Blue background with blue text over the top that says 'got ideas to make development finance a whole lot better?'

2