New Books Network

Ståle Holgersen, "Against the Crisis: Economy and Ecology in a Burning World" (Verso, 2024)

Apr 9, 2025

Ståle Holgersen, a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Stockholm University, dives deep into the interplay of economic and ecological crises in his timely work. He argues that these crises are not anomalies but integral to capitalism's function. Holgersen critiques the idea of the 'Anthropocene,' advocating for the term 'Capitalocene' to emphasize capitalism’s role in environmental calamities. He highlights systemic inequalities exacerbated by crises and calls for an ecosocialist response to forge a historical exception to the status quo.

54:50

Episode guests

Ståle Holgersen

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Quick takeaways

Economic and ecological crises are deeply interconnected within capitalism, challenging the illusion that they can be treated separately.

The podcast emphasizes that these crises are not simply opportunities for reform but are fundamentally woven into capitalism's operational fabric.

Deep dives

Interconnection of Economic and Ecological Crises

Economic and ecological crises are intricately linked within the framework of capitalism, challenging conventional separations between the two. The analysis presented argues that these crises are not merely opportunities for change but existential threats that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in society. For instance, while economic disruptions have historically been episodic, ecological crises continue to grow in severity and frequency, necessitating urgent recognition and action. This connection highlights a systemic issue where the ruling powers often overlook the urgent implications of climate change, considering it a distant problem.

Intro

4min

Navigating Crises: Definitions and Intersections

10min

The Evolution of Economic Crises: From Marx to Modern Interpretations

3min

Crises, Capitalism, and Climate: A Critical Analysis

16min

Wealth, Crisis, and Inequality

5min

Racial Capitalism and Crisis Dynamics

12min

Exploring Economic and Ecological Crises in Relation to Capitalism

2min

In Against the Crisis: Economy and Ecology in a Burning World (Verso, 2024), Ståle Holgersen develops a conceptualization of 'crisis' that moves beyond simplistic understandings of societal turbulence or even disaster, arguing that crises have come to mean something very specific. Where previous analyses have treated economic and ecological crises as separate phenomena, Holgersen reveals their profound interconnection within capitalism's contradictions. Central to the book is the idea that both economic and climate crises are crises of capitalism specifically, and the powers that be are not willing to acknowledge it.

Holgersen delves into today’s economic and ecological crises to demonstrate that they are not exceptions to an otherwise functioning system but integral to its operation. It is naive to see these upheavals as opportunities for reform or revolution. They are the bedrock of the status quo. Fortunately, the vicious circle sustaining capitalism is not founded on an iron law. Our historical mission in the face of the climate crisis is to create a historical exception to the rule. It is time for ecosocialism against crisis.

About the Author:

Ståle Holgersen is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Stockholm University, Sweden. He is a member of two research collectives: the Zetkin Collective (ecosocialist group working on political ecologies of the far right) published White Skin, Black Fuel on Verso in 2021 and Fundament (a housing research collective) published Kris i Bostadsfrågan on Daidalos in 2023. This is his first monograph in English.

About the Host:

Stuti Roy has recently graduated with an MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford. She has a BA in Political Science from the University of Toronto.

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