Podcast: The Case for Worker Cooperatives and Economic Democracy
By Upstream staff, Shareable
The latest episode of the Upstream podcast takes a deep dive into the worker cooperatives movement: a broad selection of organizations, activists, and cooperatively-structured workplaces that advocate for and embody workplace and economic democracy.
Podcast: A View of Global Economic Inequalities from the English Town of Frome
By Upstream staff, Shareable
In the 1970s and 80s, a series of economic policies began to take hold all over the world. These policies, and the philosophies behind them, have come to be known as neoliberalism, and they have proven to be incredibly harmful to society as a whole. During this period, factories closed, industries disappeared, jobs became scarce, and the foundation of many communities were ripped out from under their feet.
Podcast: What is the Transition Movement?
By Upstream staff, Rob Hopkins, Shareable
In this episode we spoke with Rob Hopkins, the founder and figurehead of the Transition Movement, which is a grassroots community project aiming to increase self-sufficiency and address the ecological and economic crises currently faced by humanity.
Flatpack Democracy Architect Peter Macfadyen’s DIY Guide to Independent Politics
By Upstream staff, Shareable
In this episode we spoke with Peter Macfadyen, one of the architects behind Flatpack Democracy, a do-it-yourself guide to creating independent politics.
What if Our Economic System Was Set Up to Generate Happiness?
By Upstream staff, Shareable
Happy City's aim is to "reclaim happiness from commercial triviality and make it a guiding, radical principle for society." The organization invites individuals to explore what truly brings lasting happiness and gives communities the tools to measure and be attentive to what really matters.
The History and Future of the Solidarity Economy
By Upstream staff, Upstream
In this episode, we spoke with Cheyenna Weber, co-founder of SolidarityNYC and a lead organizer of the Cooperative Economics Alliance of NYC, or CEANYC. We talked with Weber about her work with SolidarityNYC and CEANYC and how these organizations support a growing solidarity economy in New York City and beyond.
Podcast: How is the New Economy Embodied in a Pint of Beer?
By Upstream staff, Shareable
Craft beer has begun to bring back many of the most important values and characteristics of beer that were lost for so long, going far beyond just taste. This is an important theme that Rob Hopkins, the co-founder of the Transition Town movement and founder of New Lion Brewery, explores throughout the episode.
How Residents of Frome Took Governance and the Local Economy Into Their Own Hands
By Upstream staff, Shareable
The stories in this series come from a small town in the United Kingdom called Frome, but the themes and topics explored are global in scale, ranging from the Americas to the Himalayas. Despite its unique setting, nestled in the sleepy countryside of southeast England, Frome is a microcosm of much of what is taking place in towns and cities through the world.