Alle Termine des Forschungskalenders

Money lies at the heart of capitalism and contemporary sustainability crises. In this lecture Ester Barinaga - Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Lund University (Sweden) - complicates this commonplace understanding by arguing that it is not money per se, but its architecture—its design and governance—that underpins challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality, and democratic erosion. Historical evidence shows that money’s internal structure can vary, producing different socio-economic dynamics. Drawing on this insight, Barinaga explores how monetary entrepreneurs—ranging from grassroots actors and municipalities to radical crypto-initiatives—are reimagining money to foster sustainable futures. Conceptualising money as a socio-technical infrastructure, the seminar first examines the link between conventional monetary design and unsustainability. It then analyses three monetary experiments organised around distinct principles—market, state, and commons—each underpinned by different imaginaries and community relations, ultimately opening pathways towards alternative civilisational forms.