The world is on fire and economics is still teaching like it’s 1980. Many students are frustrated that economics education remains disconnected from the realities shaping the world today. As climate breakdown, ecological instability and inequality increasingly define economic life, economics teaching in many institutions still relies on frameworks developed decades ago, often without seriously engaging with these challenges.
Campaigning for Ecological Economics is a year-long training programme designed to support those who want to develop their campaigning skills and create change through their Rethinking Economics group. The programme supports participants to build effective campaigns that bring ecological and pluralist economics into their institutions and help build economics education fit for the 21st century.
What is covered in the programme?
- Learn how to use Rethinking Economics Campaigning Cycle to bring ecological economics into your education and how to form alliances with academics in the department
- Receive training on how to effectively choose an issue to campaign around, how to identify power within your institution and how to choose the right tactic to get the change you want.
- Connect with ecological and heterodox economics to better understand the economics we are calling for
- Benefit from 121 support and mentoring to ensure that your campaign navigates obstacles and challenges
- Utilise funding support offered to help your campaign to deliver
- Attend guest trainings from leading ecological economists and campaigners
When does it start? Campaigning for Ecological Economics starts in July, with four 90m online sessions occurring across five weeks with a break in the middle.
The first session of the next training will start on 7th July at at 1000 EDT // 1400 UTC // 1500 BST // 1600 SAST // 1930 IST.
The series will then run for four weeks at the same time:
- 7th July
- 14th July
- 28th July
- 4th August
After that, we will meet online as a cohort around twice a month until the following April.
Who can apply? The training is only open to REI members. It is principally designed for current students and recent graduates but may be of interest to anyone who is:
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Interested in bringing ecological economics into university teaching
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Part of Rethinking Economics Group and is ready to take the step into campaigning
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Ready to be part of an international group of campaigners who support and learn from one another
Are there requirements? Every participant needs to be able to actively engage in the sessions as far as possible, as this is an interactive training. This means turning on microphone and camera during the Zoom meeting.
While this programme is focused on ecological economics, we also recognise that groups may wish to campaign around different issues within economics education or outside of it. If your group is interested in developing a campaign on another topic, we would still love to hear from you – please get in touch by email to campaigns@rethinkeconomics.org.
When do applications close?
Applications for this training will close two weeks before the programme begins.