A critical exploration of permaculture’s global role in sustainable development

Smithies, O

Abstract

Despite emerging literature on Permaculture as a sustainable solution-based approach to the environmental, economic and social consequences of non-sustainable global growth, many accounts infer it is a political practice working against many corporate and bureaucratic forms of power. Using examples of Permaculture from a global context, such as ‘Omah Lor’ - a demonstration hub situated in Java Indonesia, Incredible farm in the UK, and various applicable advances in technological design, this paper focuses on the practices and key drivers of Permaculture in order to illustrate that the movement is, potentially, a cohesive component in assisting policy makers moving towards a sustainable future. Alternatively, this paper draws on ethnographic data to focus attention upon the ‘mainstreaming’ of ‘regenerative activism’, arguing that guiding core principles (and the associated impacts of these principles) alongside the foundational value ethics within Permaculture are important considerations for policymakers who share a global common discourse in sustainable development. As yet, this point is still widely underacknowledged at policy level.

Citation

Smithies, O. A critical exploration of permaculture’s global role in sustainable development. (Dissertation). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Dissertation
• Deposit Date: Dec 17, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 17, 2020
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2019