Séminaire autour des travaux de recherche d’Angelo Salento

organisé par : Xabier Itçaina et Gilles Pinson et la Chaire TerrESS

Angelo Salento présentera ses travaux de recherche :

Rise and Decline of the Foundational Economy:
The Infrastructure of Daily Life in the Neoliberal Era

"The crisis of the welfare state has been at the forefront of the social sciences agenda for many years. However, the material foundations of daily life extend far beyond what we commonly refer to as welfare. In addition to the providential activities of the welfare state—such as healthcare, assistance, social security, and education—one must consider food production and distribution, residential construction, water distribution, energy, gas, public transportation, local banking services, security, and emergency services. A broad spectrum of activities, therefore, can be termed the "foundational economy" (Foundational Economy Collective, 2018).
In this seminar, we will examine the trajectory of these economic activities. Between the 19^th and 20th centuries, they were directed towards building widespread well-being and social and territorial cohesion. Today, they are interpreted as competitive economic activities, often financialized, aimed at maximizing the return on invested capital.
We will observe the primary consequences of this transformation—namely, what happens when the quality of collective goods and services diminishes while costs borne by citizens increase. Additionally, we will attempt to understand the possible paths to renew the foundational economy, even with a perspective toward increasing environmental and climate sustainability.