Fracturing futures: surviving the age of polycrisis
\nThe future is not written &ndash\; it is fractured\, uncertain\, and full of possibility. We are entering an era of discontinuity\, where old economic\, political\, and ecological systems are breaking down\, creating both chaos and openings for radical change. What lies ahead will not be a single narrative but a mosaic of competing realities\, demanding adaptability and entirely new ways of thinking.
\nThis emergent &ldquo\;polycrisis&rdquo\; &ndash\; a convergence of multiple\, interrelated crises &ndash\; defies linear solutions. Climate collapse\, geopolitical instability\, technological disruption\, economic inequality\, and social fragmentation constitute a web of mutually reinforcing shocks. Their cascading interactions overwhelm conventional responses and expose the inadequacy of incremental reform. In such a volatile landscape\, survival demands more than resilience\; it calls for systemic reinvention.
\nThe scale and scope of disruption call for radical adaptive strategies: a wholesale reimagining of how we organize\, govern\, produce\, and coexist. This includes transitions from extractive to regenerative economies\, from centralized hierarchies to distributed networks\, and from atomized individualism to collaborative interdependence. The imperative is to navigate collapse while actively cultivating viable alternatives &ndash\; such as decentralized energy systems\, post-capitalist economic models like cooperatives and circular economies\, and participatory governance structures exemplified by citizens&rsquo\; assemblies.
\nThe question is not simply how to endure fragmentation\, but how to transmute it into renewal. This requires adaptive frameworks that allow systems to evolve under pressure\, radical pluralism that values diverse perspectives\, and regenerative cultures that restore and nurture communities and ecosystems\, rather than depleting them.
\nTo move beyond mere survival and toward the construction of a livable future\, we must pivot from reactive crisis management to proactive world-making. This entails envisioning a post-crisis reality &ndash\; and undertaking the work of actualizing it in the present.
\nThis meeting is framed as a gathering not of passive observers\, but of those actively shaping alternatives. It aims to bridge theory and praxis by convening visionaries\, practitioners\, and changemakers across disciplines. &ldquo\;Fracturing Futures&rdquo\; is a call to embrace complexity\, experiment fearlessly\, and collaborate across boundaries. It rejects doom-and-gloom fatalism in favor of agency\, creativity\, and strategic reinvention. The goal is not merely to weather the storm but to redesign the ship while sailing it\, turning disruption into opportunity and charting a course toward a more resilient world.
\nThemes of interest include (but are not limited to):
\nPost-capitalist transitions
\nAdaptive governance in crisis
\nClimate justice and regenerative ecologies
\nTechnopolitics and digital sovereignty
\nDecentralized infrastructure and energy futures
\nSecurity\, defense\, and sovereignty in a fragmented world
\nCultural resilience and re-indigenization
\nNetworks of mutual aid and collective care
\nNarrative futures: literature\, ecocriticism\, and world-building
\nPolycrisis praxis: interventions from the margins
\nSubmission Guidelines:
\nWe welcome proposals for individual papers (20 min)\; please submit your abstract (250&ndash\;300 words) along with a brief bio (100 words) as a single Word or PDF attachment to \;greenmarblemeeting@protonmail.com \;by May 31\, 2025\, with acceptance notifications sent by June 7\, 2025.
\nOrganizer
\nINfAST-Institute for Anthropocene Studies
\;
\nConvenors
\nJoã\;o Ribeiro Mendes\, Claú\;dia Toriz Ramos\, Orfeu Bertolami\, Maria do Carmo Mendes
\nContact:
\nFor inquiries\, please contact: \;jcrmendes@elach.uminho.pt