Creating an Ecosocial Welfare Future

“Mary Murphy’s book, Creating an Ecosocial Welfare Future represents a vital Irish contribution to the growing body of scholarly work advocating a new ecosocial paradigm, a model of political economy that offers a real alternative to the hegemonic model of neoliberalism which has cast such a dark shadow, leaving a legacy of inequality and the erosion of social cohesion as a legacy of its decades of prominence. Creating an Ecosocial Welfare Future makes a significant contribution to what can constitute a blueprint for an inclusive and emancipatory future for all.” Michael D. Higgins, Uachtarán na Éireann, President of Ireland

“An important book with many compelling ideas that deserve to be read and applied by academics, policy makers and practitioners in Ireland, the UK and beyond.” Bryn Jones, University of Bath

Mary P. Murphy is Professor in the Department of Sociology at Maynooth University. Previously, she served as Commissioner in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (2013-2017). She is currently a member of the Council of State.

Introduction: The case for a welfare imagination

Part 1: From problems to solutions: a post-growth ecosocial political economy

1. Commodification and decommodification

2. From unsustainable environmental outcomes to a post-growth world

3. From an unequal society to ecosocial welfare

Part 2: Building an ecosocial imaginary

4. Reciprocity and interdependence: enabling institutions

5. Universal basic services

6. Participation income

Part 3: An ecosocial political imaginary

7. Power and mobilisation

8. Imaginaries and ideas

9. Achieving change through high-energy democracy and coalition-building

Conclusion