Scaling up a fair and caring energy democracy?

Workshop: Brief introduction and guided discussion

Language: German
Duration: 45–60 mins
In person

What’s it about?

How can an energy system be organised democratically to supply millions of people whilst also fulfilling its social and environmental responsibilities? This question lies at the heart of current debates surrounding the socialisation of energy infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The talk will outline the discourse surrounding the ‘Expropriate RWE & Co’ initiative in North Rhine-Westphalia. The initiative aims to transfer large parts of the energy infrastructure in NRW into public ownership and manage it democratically (socialisation). Drawing on a feminist care perspective, the lecture analyses how activists understand energy supply not primarily as a commodity, but as a social duty to meet people’s needs.

Methodologically, the underlying research is based on critical discourse analysis and action research conducted within a working group of ‘Expropriate RWE & Co’, which is drafting a law on the socialisation of energy infrastructure. The analysis reconstructs how notions of democracy, justice and care are translated into concrete models of direct democratic decision-making structures for a large-scale energy system.

The discussion will address the following questions:

How can we renegotiate the organisation of our energy provision in a way that is critical of domination and based on radical solidarity?
How can socially marginalised people (both locally and along global supply chains), the interests of future generations and non-human nature be taken into account?

Aim of the presentation

To discuss new perspectives on socialisation and the scaling of direct democracy.