Developing a collaborative research agenda for post-growth futures

The Sydney Environment Institute (SEI) recently convened an internal roundtable to connect researchers across the University of Sydney with an interest in transformative political economy. Initiated by Professor Manfred Lenzen and Dr Mengyu Li, drawing on their recent ARC Discovery Project and Dr Li’s Horizon project, the session brought together scholars from a range of disciplines - including the faculties of Science, Business, Arts and Social Sciences, and Law - to explore emerging research and ideas related to post-growth, degrowth, and well-being economy approaches.

The discussion revealed a strong collective interest in challenging growth-based economic paradigms and identifying both practical and ethical alternatives. Designed as an exploratory session, the roundtable provided space for researchers to introduce their work, share perspectives, and identify opportunities for collaboration with a view to shaping a future research agenda.

As an outcome of the session, four initial research groups have been established to support continued inquiry and interdisciplinary engagement:

• Projecting: Exploring pathways to a post-growth future, with a focus on distinguishing between intentional, well-managed transitions and disruptive, crisis-driven shifts.
• Framing: Investigating the ethical, political, and philosophical dimensions of a post-growth economy, including the roles of democracy, justice, and non-Western ontologies.
• Communicating: Examining how post-growth ideas can be effectively communicated, framed, and embedded within mainstream public discourse and advocacy.
• Implementing: Analysing the structural, legal, and policy mechanisms that could support or hinder a transition to a post-growth economy, including applications in governance, business, and the built environment.

This roundtable marked the beginning of a broader initiative to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and advance research on post-growth futures. Researchers working within or adjacent to these thematic areas are encouraged to express interest in joining the conversation, engaging with an existing group, or proposing new areas of exploration.

As a result of the interest and engagement at the initial workshop, researchers were invited to propose projects for seed funding, including the development of collaborative research outputs and grant proposals. Two research projects have since been seed funded by SEI. The first, led by Professor Manfred Lenzen and Dr Mengyu Li (Science), is focused on building a global collaboration with leading EU-based scholars on the broad idea of engaging emerging economies, in particular those in China and Southeast Asia, in post-growth transitions and development beyond a focus on Global North conceptions of growth and affluence. The second, led by Associate Professor Kate Owens (Law) and Professor Deborah Barnstone (Architecture, Design and Planning) is on the potential design and regulatory frameworks for health innovations precincts with a well-being economy at their centre.

For more information or to connect with the relevant research leads, please email sei.info@sydney.edu.au.

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