Degrowth in Practice: Developing an Ecological Habitus within Permaculture Entrepreneurship

Abstract

The literature on degrowth has suffered from only engaging with normative ideas. More recently the degrowth debate has started moving from a normative perspective to close the wide gap that has existed between normative ideas and is analysing how to link ideas to the institutional and cultural environment that shapes practices. To address this challenge, we draw on the work of Pierre Bourdieu in order to examine transformations in the habitus and forms of capital of those who decide to move into sustainable entrepreneurship through permaculture in Brazil. Permaculture represents a vibrant alternative to industrial food production and addresses fundamental contemporary social problems, such as increasing inequalities, climate change and the loss of biodiversity. The article explores the challenges faced and respective responses of those who decide to change their relationships with nature and society by becoming permaculture entrepreneurs (PEs). The paper shows that, when entering the permaculture universe, individuals start critically examining their values and ways of living, which leads to a disengagement from dominant patterns of behaviour and social expectations in order to pursue sustainable lifestyles and thereby develop an ecological habitus.