Distributed for UCL Press
Financing Prosperity by Dealing with Debt
Transdisciplinary approaches to resolving problematic debt.
In an era when many of us depend on debt to survive but struggle with its consequences, Financing Prosperity by Dealing with Debt draws together current thinking on how to solve debt crises and promote prosperity. By profiling existing action by credit unions and community organizations, alongside bold proposals for the future, with contributions from artists, activists, and academics, the book shows how we can rethink the validity and inevitability of many contemporary forms of debt through organizing debt audits, promoting debt cancellation, and expanding member-owned co-operatives. The authors set out legal and political methods for changing the rules of the system to provide debt relief and reshape economies for more inclusive and sustainable flourishing. The book also profiles community-based actions that are changing the role of debt in economic, social, and political life—among them, participatory art projects, radical advice networks, and ways of financing feminist green transition. This volume moves beyond critique to present a wealth of concrete ways to tackle debt and forge the prosperous communities we want for the future, making it relevant to a broad audience of academics, practitioners, activists, and policymakers.
In an era when many of us depend on debt to survive but struggle with its consequences, Financing Prosperity by Dealing with Debt draws together current thinking on how to solve debt crises and promote prosperity. By profiling existing action by credit unions and community organizations, alongside bold proposals for the future, with contributions from artists, activists, and academics, the book shows how we can rethink the validity and inevitability of many contemporary forms of debt through organizing debt audits, promoting debt cancellation, and expanding member-owned co-operatives. The authors set out legal and political methods for changing the rules of the system to provide debt relief and reshape economies for more inclusive and sustainable flourishing. The book also profiles community-based actions that are changing the role of debt in economic, social, and political life—among them, participatory art projects, radical advice networks, and ways of financing feminist green transition. This volume moves beyond critique to present a wealth of concrete ways to tackle debt and forge the prosperous communities we want for the future, making it relevant to a broad audience of academics, practitioners, activists, and policymakers.
175 pages | 3 halftones | 6.14 x 9.21 | © 2022
Economics and Business: Economics--Urban and Regional
Political Science: Public Policy
Table of Contents
List of figures List of tables List of contributors Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Financing Prosperity by Dealing with Debt Christopher Harker PART I Rethinking Debt Obligations 2. Building democracy through challenging financialisation – a citizen debt audit of local government bank loans Fanny Malinen 3. “Forgive us our debts”: lending, borrowing and debt forgiveness in Christian perspective. Nathan Mladin 4. Credit Unions in the
UK: Promoting Saving and Dealing with Debt Martin Groombridge, in conversation with Amy Horton and Christopher Harker PART II Rewriting the Rules 5. Could We Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Bankruptcy? Joseph
Spooner 6. Debt relief can finance prosperity – making the case for reducing the repayment
burden on households Johnna Montgomerie 7. Mortgage debt and the housing affordability crisis Josh
Ryan-Collins PART III Retaking the Economy 8. Bank
Job – Debt, art, activism and community power Hilary
Powell and Daniel Edelstyn 9. Money
Advice and Education: Creating community endurance and prosperity Christopher
Harker and Jerry During
10. The
energy transition, indebtedness and alternatives
Charlotte
Johnson Conclusion 11. Transitioning to
caring economies: What place for debt? Amy Horton Index
UK: Promoting Saving and Dealing with Debt Martin Groombridge, in conversation with Amy Horton and Christopher Harker PART II Rewriting the Rules 5. Could We Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Bankruptcy? Joseph
Spooner 6. Debt relief can finance prosperity – making the case for reducing the repayment
burden on households Johnna Montgomerie 7. Mortgage debt and the housing affordability crisis Josh
Ryan-Collins PART III Retaking the Economy 8. Bank
Job – Debt, art, activism and community power Hilary
Powell and Daniel Edelstyn 9. Money
Advice and Education: Creating community endurance and prosperity Christopher
Harker and Jerry During
10. The
energy transition, indebtedness and alternatives
Charlotte
Johnson Conclusion 11. Transitioning to
caring economies: What place for debt? Amy Horton Index