This episode provides an overview of the short essay written by S.A. Hamed Hosseini for Global Dialogue, published by the International Sociological Association.
The essay argues that radical transformations are essential to prevent civilizational collapse, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the unsustainability of the "old normal." The author attributes the impending crisis to five interconnected "Cs": Capital, Carbon (extractivism), Compulsive economic growth, Coloniality, and Corruptive politics. Simply addressing one aspect, such as decarbonization, is deemed insufficient; instead, a holistic approach encompassing De-capitalisation, De-growth, Decolonisation, and Deep democratisation of social institutions (the "5Ds") is advocated.
The text calls for activist academics to co-create knowledge with grassroots movements, leveraging social informatics to foster a transition towards post-5Cs eco-civilizations.