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Autonomy within limits: Post-growth and social imaginaries of work, education and democracy

Paulsson, Alexander LU ; Koch, Max LU orcid ; Islar, Mine LU orcid and Raphael, Riya LU (2025) In Environmental Values
Abstract
Autonomy is central to thinking about democracy and human needs, but the question of how autonomy relates to growth is ambivalent. Is growth necessary to achieve a basic level of autonomy, or is autonomy, in fact, a pre-requisite for post-growth? In this study, we examine this question by focusing on how critical autonomy relates to growth within the domains of democracy, education, and work. Critical autonomy is complex, but in its most fundamental form, it is about making informed choices, which, in turn, are transformed by our social imaginaries. By using the concepts of critical autonomy and social imaginaries, our analysis suggests that (i) greater elements of direct democracy and participation, (ii) a more holistic education that... (More)
Autonomy is central to thinking about democracy and human needs, but the question of how autonomy relates to growth is ambivalent. Is growth necessary to achieve a basic level of autonomy, or is autonomy, in fact, a pre-requisite for post-growth? In this study, we examine this question by focusing on how critical autonomy relates to growth within the domains of democracy, education, and work. Critical autonomy is complex, but in its most fundamental form, it is about making informed choices, which, in turn, are transformed by our social imaginaries. By using the concepts of critical autonomy and social imaginaries, our analysis suggests that (i) greater elements of direct democracy and participation, (ii) a more holistic education that integrates play with life-long learning and (iii) changes in the perception of work, along with increased workplace influence, would provide conditions for autonomy without requiring growth or contributing to it. We conclude our analysis by highlighting how social imaginaries and policy changes in the three domains – democracy, education and work – could be developed to realize critical autonomy in a post-growth society. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
autonomy, postgrowth
in
Environmental Values
publisher
SAGE Publications
ISSN
0963-2719
project
Postgrowth Welfare Systems
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a3696a8f-b2ed-4b23-aa74-f06f6c54b6a8
alternative location
https://doi.org/10.1177/09632719251382401
date added to LUP
2025-10-10 14:51:23
date last changed
2025-10-10 16:40:03
@article{a3696a8f-b2ed-4b23-aa74-f06f6c54b6a8,
  abstract     = {{Autonomy is central to thinking about democracy and human needs, but the question of how autonomy relates to growth is ambivalent. Is growth necessary to achieve a basic level of autonomy, or is autonomy, in fact, a pre-requisite for post-growth? In this study, we examine this question by focusing on how critical autonomy relates to growth within the domains of democracy, education, and work. Critical autonomy is complex, but in its most fundamental form, it is about making informed choices, which, in turn, are transformed by our social imaginaries. By using the concepts of critical autonomy and social imaginaries, our analysis suggests that (i) greater elements of direct democracy and participation, (ii) a more holistic education that integrates play with life-long learning and (iii) changes in the perception of work, along with increased workplace influence, would provide conditions for autonomy without requiring growth or contributing to it. We conclude our analysis by highlighting how social imaginaries and policy changes in the three domains – democracy, education and work – could be developed to realize critical autonomy in a post-growth society.}},
  author       = {{Paulsson, Alexander and Koch, Max and Islar, Mine and Raphael, Riya}},
  issn         = {{0963-2719}},
  keywords     = {{autonomy; postgrowth}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Environmental Values}},
  title        = {{Autonomy within limits: Post-growth and social imaginaries of work, education and democracy}},
  url          = {{https://doi.org/10.1177/09632719251382401}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}