everyday economy
Changing Everyday Life to Transform the Economy
While capitalism has reached its peak in terms of global influence and practical application, there is a growing consensus that it doesn't serve everyone equally or sustainably. Many feel excluded from the benefits it promises, and the consequences of its failure are becoming increasingly apparent.
However, in response to this, there are emerging counter-cultural voices advocating for alternative economic models—ones that prioritize life over profit, inclusivity over exclusion, and humanity over dehumanisation.
This panel will explore and critically evaluate these alternative economic approaches, particularly those that challenge the current system's norms.
By focusing on the everyday actions of individuals who may seem powerless in the grand economic structure, we aim to highlight how their contributions can be transformative.
These approaches seek to demonstrate that change is not only possible but necessary, beginning with small, seemingly insignificant shifts in our daily lives. Through these discussions, we hope to shed light on new pathways for economic systems that genuinely foster well-being, social justice, and sustainability for all.
SPEAKERS
Lord John Bird
John Bird MBE is a social entrepreneur, best known as the founder of The Big Issue, a magazine sold by homeless street vendors and edited by professional journalists. Born in Notting Hill, London, to a poor Irish family, he became homeless at age five, lived in an orphanage, and was in and out of prison during his teenage years.
In 1991, he launched The Big Issue with Gordon Roddick. The magazine grew from a local London publication to a global initiative. In 2001, Bird co-founded The Big Issue Invest to provide financing for businesses focused on social change.
In 1995, he was awarded an MBE for services to homeless people and, in 2006, received the Beacon Fellowship Prize for his work raising awareness about homelessness. Bird also served as a Social Enterprise Ambassador, promoting social entrepreneurship across the UK.
Prof Valetina Rotondi
Prof. Valentina Rotondi is a Professor at the Department of Business Economics, Health, and Social Care at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI), an associate researcher at the University of Oxford, and a research fellow at the Swiss School of Public Health and Milan Center for Neurosciences (NEUROMI).
With training in behavioral and applied economics, she focuses on gender inequalities, demography, and development. Her research explores the effects of digital technologies on health, well-being, and female empowerment, as well as the impacts of unexpected events on demographic and behavioral attitudes.
Prof. Rotondi holds a Ph.D. in Economics (2016) from the Catholic University of Milan and teaches "unusual data analysis" at SUPSI. She is also a director of the Certificate of Advanced Studies in "Integral Economics" at the University of Fribourg and SUPSI.
She is a member of the scientific committee of "The Economy of Francesco" and the "School of Civil Economy" .
