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May 19, 2023 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Introduction: The Aesthetic Dimension

Below I have posted the Introduction to my new collection of essays called S M P L C T Y: Ecological Civilisation and the Will to Art. The PDF is also available. Introduction-–-The-Aesthetic-Dimension-1Download ‘Rising, tram, four hours in the office or factory, meal, tram, four hours of work, meal, sleep and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, according to the same... read more
May 15, 2023 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Preface: The Apocalyptic Sublime

Below I have posted the Preface to my new collection of essays, called S M P L C T Y: Ecological Civilisation and the Will to Art. I will publish these essays over coming months, as I complete them, with the Introduction ready for publication later this week. The PDF of the Preface is also available for download below. Preface-–-The-Apocalyptic-Sublime-2Download ‘The bleaker and emptier... read more
May 15, 2023 Posted by Samuel Alexander

S M P L C T Y: Ecological Civilisation and the Will to Art

Over the last year I have been working on a collection of aesthetic essays called S M P L C T Y: Ecological Civilisation and the Will to Art. Although this project may still be a few months off completion, I’ve decided to start publishing essays as I finish them. Below I have posted the provisional Table of Contents for this project and the cover page. As I publish each essay, I will update this... read more
Apr 7, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

The Rebellion Hypothesis: Extinction Rebellion and Civil Disobedience (Part VII of Ecological Civilisation)

Can civil disobedience ever be justified in a democracy? How does Extinction Rebellion relate to other social movements in history that have also practiced civil disobedience to advance societal progress? In this presentation I critically examine these questions and present an analysis I call the ‘rebellion hypothesis’. This is Part VII of the Ecological Civilisation series. The series is... read more
Mar 26, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Video – Ecovillage Future: And How Access to Land is a Barrier (Ecological Civilisation Series)

What is an ‘ecovillage’ and how do practices and values different from ordinary life within consumer capitalist societies? And what would the world look like if there were millions of ecovillages emerging to replace industrial civilisation? In this presentation, I examine these question and draw on research which attempts to measure the energy and resource reductions of ecovillage living.... read more
Mar 17, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Video: Post-Capitalism by Design not Disaster – A Grassroots Theory of Change

Capitalism has various growth imperatives that are inconsistent with environmental limits. That is, capitalism must grow for stability but cannot grow limitlessly on a finite planet. It follows that the future will be post-capitalist – by design or disaster. In this presentation I explore a grassroots theory of change that I argue is the most coherent way to help drive a post-capitalist transition by... read more
Mar 6, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Life in a ‘Degrowth’ Economy: Envisioning a Prosperous Descent

What would daily life would be like in a ‘degrowth’ economy? That is, in an economy seeking planned contraction of energy and resource demands in order to achieve sustainability, equity, and social wellbeing. In this presentation, I explore theses issues by seeking to envision what such a ‘prosperous descent’ might look like. This is Part IV of the Ecological Civilisation... read more
Feb 23, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

A ‘Real’ Green New Deal? Policies for a Post-Growth Economy (Video)

I’ve just released the next video presentation in the Ecological Civilisation series. Today’s topic is ‘Policies for a Post-Growth Economy‘ and my question is: What would a ‘real’ Green New Deal look like? In my next presentation I’m going to consider ‘Life in a Degrowth Economy: Envisioning a Prosperous Descent’. Watch this space! This series is free... read more
Feb 15, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Video: Thoreau’s Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy at Walden Pond (Ecological Civilisation Series)

I’ve released the next presentation in the Ecological Civilisation series. This talk provides an overview of Henry David Thoreau’s philosophy of sufficiency which he developed and practised while living in the woods near Walden Pond, over the years 1845-47. As a foundation, I review his critique of materialistic culture, then consider Thoreau’s ‘simple living’ approach to... read more
Feb 6, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Home Biogas Video: Renewable Energy from Food Waste (Ecological Civilisation Series)

This presentation is about making renewable energy in your backyard from food scraps. I provide an introduction to domestic-scale biogas production and provide an independent, four-year review of the Home Biogas system. This is Part I of the Ecological Civilisation series. The introduction is available here: This series will be grappling with the problems of consumerism and the growth economy;... read more
Jan 31, 2022 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Ecological Civilisation: Beyond Consumerism and the Growth Economy (Introduction to Video Series)

I have begun producing a free video series called “Ecological Civilisation: Beyond Consumerism and the Growth Economy.” The introduction is now available at the link below and more videos will be uploaded in coming weeks and months. You can support this new project by purchasing a Simplicity Institute e-book from the link below, available on a ‘pay what you can’ basis (the price... read more
Mar 8, 2021 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Disturbance and Enchantment in the Industrial City (National Radio Interview)

Last weekend I was interviewed on national radio with my colleague Professor Brendan Gleeson. We discuss our new book Urban Awakenings: Disturbance and Enchantment in the Industrial City. You can listen to the 25 minute interview here and read more about the book here. I’d also like to share a YouTube link to a talk given by my colleague Joshua Floyd, where he discusses our paper ‘The... read more
Feb 25, 2021 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Beyond Capitalist Realism: The Politics, Energetics, and Aesthetics of Degrowth

I’ve just published my fourth book of collected essays, Beyond Capitalist Realism: The Politics, Energetics, and Aesthetics of Degrowth. I’ve posted the introduction below, which includes overviews of each chapter. The paperback is available here and the ebook is available on a ‘pay what you want’ basis here (you can edit the price as you like). Introduction ‘Capitalist... read more
Feb 11, 2021 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Urban Awakenings: Disturbance and Enchantment in the Industrial City

I’ve recently published a new book with Professor Brendan Gleeson, Urban Awakenings: Disturbance and Enchantment in the Industrial City, published by Palgrave.It is based on ‘urban tramps’ that we undertook in Melbourne, before, during and after the COVID lockdown. It also has 71 colour images, including a bunch from the great Australian treasure – the poet, cartoonist, and artist... read more
Jul 4, 2020 Posted by Samuel Alexander

Extinction Rebellion: Insights from the Inside

I don’t believe Extinction Rebellion has all the answers but I do know that peaceful resistance has played an important role advancing human societies in the past and I believe it has a role to play advancing the state of our troubled world today. To participate in this movement during lockdown, while we’ve been unable to take to the streets en masse, I’ve edited a book of essays on... read more
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