Re-engaging people in politics

The environmental and political activist will be talking about his new book ‘Out of the Wreckage: a new politics for an age of crisis’, at the event organised by the University’s Institute for Social Renewal and its Global Urban Research Unit.

George believes a toxic ideology rules the world – one of extreme competition and individualism, which misrepresents human nature, destroying hope and common purpose. Only a positive vision can replace it, a new story that re-engages people in politics and lights a path to a better world.

A politics of belonging

In his book he explains how new findings in psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary biology cast human nature in a radically different light: as the supreme altruists and co-operators.

He argues we can build on these findings to create a new politics: a ‘politics of belonging’. Both democracy and economic life can be radically reorganised from the bottom up, enabling us to take back control and overthrow the forces that have thwarted our ambitions for a better society.

Liz Todd, Professor of Educational Inclusion who organised the event said: “George gives us much needed political alternatives to the grand narratives of neoliberalism and social democracy. We need today his optimism for what we can create together restoring community and civic life and his ideas about how we can do this.”

Out of the wreckage

Signed copies of George’s book Out of the Wreckage will be available to purchase at the event.

UPDATE: The event scheduled at 6.30pm on 11 December, in the Curtis Auditorium in the Herschel Building has been cancelled due to illness. Apologies for any disappointment caused. A new date will be fixed in the new year -- for updates please visit: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/socialrenewal/ or on Twitter: @Social_Renewal