with Rina Agarwala, Professor of Sociology, Johns Hopkins University, Michael Levien, Associate professor of Sociology, Johns Hopkins University, Jeremy Rayner, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Emma Tyrou, USPN of Paris XVIII, Geoff Goodwin, University of Leeds, Celal Can Bilgiç, London School of Economics and Political Science, Tom Thiercelin, LUISS/ULB, Hany Zayed, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Hector Rios-Jara, University College of London, Fred Block, Research Professor atr UC Davis, Jacinto Cuvi, Assistant Professor, ULB, Giovanni Esposito, Assistant Professor, ULB, Marc Labie, Professor, UMons, Tiantian Liu, Johns Hopkins University & Laurence Roudart, Professor, ULB

The CECID is pleased to announce a two-day seminar titled Capturing the Countermovement. Drawing on Karl Polanyi’s seminal concept of the double movement, this seminar seeks to understand the limited scope of social reactions to the expansion of markets and privatization in the current era.

If neoliberal capitalism is collapsing, why are countermovements so weak, fragmented, and fragile? Karl Polanyi explained the rise of socialism and fascism during the interwar years in terms of a double movement: society’s reaction to the spread of market society and the commodification of essential resources, including nature and labor. Despite numerous instances of resistance and backlash across the world, contemporary countermovements seem ineffective at reversing the broader dynamics of market expansion. Building on recent literature that has explored contemporary countermovements, this workshop will bring together students of Polanyi and researchers doing in-depth case studies. Its goal is to assess the potential of the countermovement as a conceptual tool to make sense of reactions to the current crisis. Presenters will consider contemporary processes of commodification and countermovements with regard to land, education, labor, etc., as well as state and non-state efforts to contain or repress countermovement activity. Critical contributions are welcome.

Download the booklet here

Download the programm here

From Wednesday 19 April 2pm to Thursday 20 April 7pm

This event happens in several different venues. For precise venues and scheduel, check out the aforementioned programm

ULB - Campus Solbosch

Room R42.5.110
Building R - Level 5
Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 42
1000 Bruxelles

Rokkan Room
Building S - Level 12 - Room S.12.234
Avenue Jeanne 44
1000 Bruxelles

Room AY.2.112
Building A - Door Y - Level 2
Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50
1000 Bruxelles

Registration required: Here

Online attendance is available, register here

Places are limited for the panels. Registration for in-person attendance will close on 30 March and for TEAMS attendance on 16 April.

If you wish to cancel your registration for in-person attendance, or if you need any other piece of information, please e-mail Marie-Line.Furst@ulb.be