The Fourth Quadrant Research Network and Manchester Metropolitan University are holding an online book launch to celebrate the publication of Responsibility Beyond Growth: A Case for Responsible Stagnation?, by Stevienna de Saille, Fabien Medvecky, Michiel van Oudheusden, Kevin Albertson, Effie Amanatidou, Timothy Birabi and Mario Pansera.

When: 30th July 2020 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. British Summer Time.
Where: via Zoom. Go to https://bit.ly/2O6cNQN to register.
The link for the talk will be provided to registered guests via email.

With Guest speaker: Professor Richard Owen: University of Bristol

Contributing speakers: Stevienna de Saille: University of Sheffield; Fabien Medvecky: University of Otago; Kevin Albertson: Manchester Metropolitan University; Effie Amanatidou: University of Manchester; Timothy Birabi:University of London; Mario Pansera: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.

Innovation is generally considered to be the antidote to economic stagnation. But while the coupling of responsible and innovation has been much discussed, that of ‘responsible stagnation has gone largely unexplored. The book argues that examining what responsible stagnation might contribute opens new space in the growing global discussion about RI, incorporating innovation in non-market oriented processes, goods and services which have strong societal benefit but do not necessarily contribute to GDP. It examines the conundrum of diminishing productivity returns and increased environmental and social hazards associated with attempts to increase GDP, and how taking a growth-agnostic approach contributes to recalibrating innovation around responsibility as its focal point.

This interdisciplinary group of scholars questions how the growth paradigm shapes and limits the innovation space, and how decoupling innovation from growth points toward myriad possibilities for facilitating human well-being in more environmentally and socially responsible ways.

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