Open seminar: In search of a new social order – North-South learnings

How to develop societies that benefit the weakest sections in the Global North as well as in the Global South? What are the possibilities of anti-capitalist democratic development?

The seminar will explore the possibilities of an anti-capitalist social and democratic development in the North without harming the welfare in the South – using discussions of learnings from the Nordic countries and cases from the South.

The seminar will draw on 3 recent books that grapple with these issues:

Erik Olin Wright (2021), How to be an Anticapitalist in the 21st Century. Verso
Olle Törnquist (2022), In Search of new Social Democracy. Zed Press
Pelle Dragsted (2022), Nordisk Socialisme. Gyldendal

Erik Olin Wright’s theoretical approach includes two dimensions to change the negative harms of capitalism: 1. To neutralise harms (strategies: taming and resisting capitalism) and 2. To transcend existing structures (strategies: smashing, dismantling and escaping capitalism). Professor Michael Lavalette will at the seminar present Wright’s ideas. Olle Törnquist analyses social democracy in Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia and the Indian state of Kerala. Pelle Dragsted analyses the historical changes in Denmark and the importance of contemporary shared economies as alternatives to capitalism.

All three authors work with a broad understanding of ‘suppressed classes’, including both the traditional working class and other weaker sections.

A pertinent discussion goes to the role of the state vis-à-vis civil society and the importance of international global relations between the North and the South. These questions are crucial to future global orders and the contribution of research to the same.

Speakers:
Michael Lavalette, Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, and Editor in Chief of the journal Critical and Radical Social Work. He is author and editor of over 30 books, covering themes in radical social work, international social work, debates in contemporary Marxism, social movements and collective action, capitalism and sport, child labour and young people in contemporary Palestine.

Olle Törnquist, Professor Emeritus in political science at Oslo University, Sweden. He has carried out extensive field works in Indonesia, the Philippines and Kerala in India for more than 40 years. Author of In Search of new Social Democracy. Zed Press 2022.

Pelle Dragsted, Cand. Mag. in history and Spanish and has degrees in rhetoric and communication. He has been M.P. for ’The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten)’, and newly elected again to the parliament in Denmark. Frequent writer in newspapers and net-media. Author of Nordisk Socialisme. Gyldendal 2021.

Lily Salloum Lindegaard, senior researcher, DIIS

Irene Nørlund, The Association of Development Researchers in Denmark (FAU)

Aase Mygind Madsen, Lecturer emeritus, Ph.D. in Political Science, iiINTERest

Programme
14.00-14.15 Welcome & introduction, Lily S. Lindegaard, DIIS & Irene Nørlund and Aase Mygind Madsen (FAU)
14.15-14.40 The Anti-capitalist Framework, Michael Lavalette
14.40-15.00 Break
15.00-15.30 Welfare Reforms and strong Welfare States, Olle Törnquist
15.30-16.00 Shared Economy and new Ways of Democratic Economy, Pelle Dragsted
16.00-17.00 Panel debate (questions prepared by the organizers and questions from the audience)
17.00 Reception

Practical information
The seminar will be held in English. Physical participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please use DIIS’ online registration form (diis.easysignup.com).

Livestreaming is possible but you have to sign up for this. DIIS Conference will provide a link to the livestreaming approx. 1 hour before start to those of you, who have signed up for the livestreaming.