Livelihood practises and the possibility of just transition in a shrinking rural region in Portugal

Abstract

This article explores the relations and tensions between sustainable livelihood practises, rural shrinkage and its capitalocentric interpretations in rural development policy and everyday life. It asks, whether eco-social livelihoods can enhance a just transition in a shrinking rural region, and what kind tensions between eco-social livelihoods and regional development institutions emerge, as new, political practices of providing livelihoods spread and challenge the capitalocentric development conceptions. Empirically, the work of three livelihood providers in the Alentejo region of Portugal was studied with the help of focused ethnography, qualitative interviews and document analysis. Eco-social livelihoods can contribute to a just transition by engaging young, educated activists and global citizen networks in rural economies. Livelihood providers face a challenge, however, to address the lack of basic services and stable employment. In doing so they can become broadly accessible spaces of learning to practice economic responsibility and sustainable well-being. This opportunity is so far overlooked in institutionalised, capitalocentric regional development practice, where the central problem of rural development is defined in terms of a relative decline. Shrinking through an economic crisis may facilitate institutional support for a rapid upscaling of eco-social livelihoods, but it may risk undermining their stability.