Reconvening Call, 2025 Initatives, book club selection, UNDP Conference, and Summer Residency Plans

EarthOS Scifi Economics
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Greetings

After a period of behind-the-scenes work, I’m excited to share several initiatives taking shape for 2025:

  1. Reconvening Call: I’d like to start the year with a community call to reconnect, share ideas, notable updates from the world of Sci Fi Economics, and hear your thoughts on future directions of the Sci Fi Econ Lab. This would happen in the week starting 10th Feb in the evening CET (UTC+1?). If you’re interested in joining, please indicate your timezone and availability in the replies below pinging a bunch of some recently active members @zazizoma @alberto @nadia @lucacominassi @giacomo.pinaffo @martin @Jenaer @Nic010 @mrchrisadams @petussing @yudhanjaya @matthias @alex_levene @jolwalton @sz_duras @joelfinkle @Kaibeezy @LStewart @OmaMorkie @Enro @ralmond @rachel @kevin_carson @petussing @oliiive @Azraq @johncoate @yannick @mariacoenen @filip @jaycousins @danohu @amiridina @OmaMorkie @hugi @mstn @ivan @inge @joaosf @TheoCox @Roberto @Tim_Reutemann please tag others who I’ve missed…@ASD I can’t find your tag :slight_smile: would be great to connect and reconnect with you all

  2. Book Club - Who would be keen for a new book club? I’d like to propose Cory Doctorow’s new work “Picks and Shovels” as our next read. It’s more on the theme of enshitification, more info and a kickstarter for its launch here. However, open to other suggestions - what would you like to read and analyze together? Share your recommendations below. Would also be good to hear your highlights of how to do a good book club

  3. UNDP Conference - Istanbul Alberto, Joffa, Giacomo and I will be attending the UNDP conference in Istanbul this March, where we’ll be running a 2-hour session exploring alternative economic futures. We’ll share more details about our session in the catch up call and would welcome your input.

  4. Summer Residency - Barcelona. I think our next 4-day residency will take place in Barcelona (timing TBC). The theme will be “Digital Life in 2080” - exploring how technology and economics might intersect. More details on exact dates will follow. Anyone else scheming workshops, residencies etc?

Next Steps:

  • Drop your availability for the community call
  • Share your thoughts on “Picks and Shovels” is it grappling enough with political economy or is there another book that would merit a deep dive?
  • Share any thoughts or questions about the upcoming residency theme
  • Share any projects or ideas you have for Sci Fi Econ in 2025 or other updates **

Random:

  • This interview between two sci fi econ authors Vorufakis and Doctorow is billed as being about Musk and his growing domination, but it’s about a lot more than that, including some historical analysis of how we got to this place. There’s also a few comments on how Europe could fight it’s way out of serfdom to the cloud capital giants.
  • What else - what are you watching, reading, listening to on the subject of sci fi econ?

:vulcan_salute:

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Yay, nice to be back in action! Huge thanks to @Katebee for convening.

My timezone is Brussels. I imagine we will be meeting in the evening European time to accommodate the Americans; if so, Monday/Tuesday are my possibilities. Otherwise, I am often available in the morning of weekdays.

AFAIK, P&S has not yet been published. I subscribed to the Kickstarter campaign (goal: 10K USD in 25 days. Reality: 90K USD in 11 days), and will therefore receive my DRM-free e-book on January 28th.

Based on the teaser, however, P&S is to a first approximation about business, rather than economics. Likely, we can still draw economics-proper implications though. We’ll see.

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I think it has been published but because the kickstarter is still going perhaps all the copies /epubs etc have not been sent out yet.

What would be a sci fi econ classic that you would like to do a book club on?

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Don’t know about “classic”. The classic of classics is Le Guin’s The Dispossed, but not sure if it is the best title for a public discussion. I am intrigued by Endrys’s Half-Built Garden. Doctorow’s The Lost Cause is fascinating for its just-out-of-reach Green New Deal world. And our own @ADH 's Our Shared Storm has the advantage of being close to the IPCC’s notion of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways, plus we can make it easier by having participants focus only on the three most econ-heavy SSPs. More info on all these books, and more, in the wiki.

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Thanks for the heads up! It’s a true joy to watch.

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Ciao Kate!
Giuseppe and I are available any day 5PM-6PM in the week starting 10th Feb!
Best,

------ Messaggio originale ------
Da “Kate via Edgeryders” <contact@edgeryders.eu>
A g.pinaffo@fdcmessina.org
Data 14/01/2025 11:15:49
Oggetto [Edgeryders] [EarthOS/Scifi Economics] Reconvening Call, 2025 Initatives, book club selection, UNDP Conference, and Summer Residency Plans

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thanks for this @Katebee ! I’d love to join. I’m in tbilisi, three hours ahead and between my 5 (your 2) and my 9 (your 6) PM isn’t ideal, but could make it work if planned in between those hours. Looking forward to it!

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