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77 | What is Ecosocialism? Part I. John Bellamy Foster and the Metabolic Rift
🕑 Added 2023-11-22 11:00:07 +0000 UTCIn this inaugural episode of our new series on ecosocialism, we discuss some writings by ecological Marxist thinker John Bellamy Foster, whose main contribution to contemporary discourse is his elaboration of the theory of metabolic rift. We talk about how this concept is meant to explain why the capitalist mode of production is environmentally unsustainable in principle, but also dig into why this approach is not totally satisfying. By the end of the discussion we’re bumming ourselves out about the unfolding climate crisis and the looming threat of ecofascism. Can’t promise that the rest of the series won’t also be a real downer! Uh, sorry about that!!
leftofphilosophy.com | @leftofphil
References:
John Bellamy Foster, “Marx’s Theory of Metabolic Rift: Classical Foundations for Environmental Sociology,” American Journal of Sociology 105.2 (1999): 366-405
John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark, “Marx’s Ecology in the 21st Century,” World Review of Political Economy, 1.1 (2010): 142-156
Music:
Vintage Memories by Schematist | schematist.bandcamp.com
Comments
Tommaso Caprotti
Hi guys, this was great. Any chance Lillian could reveal who her friend who works on alienation is? I'm working on alienation critique so it would be really interesting for me to check out this mysterious person's work. Thanks!
Oana Uiorean
We didn't have bananas in communist countries not because of some state failure but because of the horrific imperialist practices connected to their cultivation, both in terms of land and of labour. We absolutely should not have bananas in the socialist future but other types of abundance instead.
Tom Krell
this ep truly snaps --- can't wait for the series to unfold.
