Imagine an economy organized in service of human and ecological wellbeing — a wellbeing economy that is collaborative, purposeful, and committed to shared prosperity among humans and vitality throughout the natural world. Such an economic philosophy stands in sharp contrast to the extraction and growth-oriented imperatives of today’s dominant forms of market capitalism, which deliver prosperity to the few at great costs to communities and through collateral damage to the environment. This course takes seriously the notion that an alternative economic organization is not only necessary but also possible – and it demonstrates how we can move toward the same. 

The course, inspired and informed by EcoGather’s partnership with the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan, will cover strategies for cultivating inner wellbeing, including but not limited to: introductions to conventional economics and capitalism, reflections on work and purpose and investigations into currency systems, degrowth, and gift economies. Throughout the course, students will compare current systems to more just futures, unpack seemingly ubiquitous cultural assumptions, and put strategies into practice in their own communities. The course will also feature voices from those immersed in the work of ushering in new economies, including leaders from the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan and representatives from closer to home in Vermont, among others. 

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Articulate the ways in which modern economic systems stand in contrast to the wellbeing of people and their ecosystems
• Demonstrate adeptness in discussing and analyzing key terms in the field of wellbeing economies, including degrowth, gift economies, class, and the commons
• Recognize the degree to which wellbeing economy transitions are not necessarily dependent on singular, sweeping change, but rather possible through systemic interventions done at all scales leveraging tools such as local currencies and gift economies
• Articulate complex arguments related to the scope of capitalism’s impact on global ecologies
• Unpack longstanding stories related to economies as they exist today, including histories of monetary systems, scarcity and abundance, growth, and growth-based indicators of healthy economies
• Identify examples of key concepts in practice in their own communities and beyond
• Connect the practice of inner wellbeing to broader, systemic phenomena
• Identify and analyze existing and emergent strategies for transitioning toward economies organized around wellbeing
• Demonstrate creativity and informed imagination in articulating visions of wellbeing economies

This course was created through and is part of :

This course includes twelve modules that cover theoretical foundations, practical perspectives, case studies, and ample space for reflection, conversation, imagination, and community action. For brief descriptions of each module and a taste of what to expect, toggle to the “Lessons” tab on the top of this page. We are also excited to feature perspectives from a variety of leaders in the field of wellbeing economies. This course includes original interviews with the following guests:

Amanda Janoo – Economics and Policy Lead, Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll)

Chris Wood – Founder and Director, BALE (Building A Local Economy) VT

Dr. Julia Kim– Program Director, Gross National Happiness (GNH) Centre Bhutan; Member, Club of Rome

Tsoki Tenzin – Director, Gross National Happiness (GNH) Centre Bhutan

Wesel Dema – Former Program Officer, Gross National Happiness (GNH) Centre Bhutan

This class is for more people than we originally planned.

The other day I (Mackenzie, your instructor), for a number of reasons, found myself talking to the person charged with installing fiber optic cables on my street. I could tell from his Southern accent and bewilderment at the cold that he wasn’t from around here, and I could tell he was at least ten years older than me. He had a sixteen year-old son and long, curly red hair pulled back in a ponytail, and gauges in his ears. We were talking about economics. We were talking about how things were, generally speaking, not working out for most people, including the way that food and everything else we needed to survive seemed to cost more and more for less and less, the perils of renting from perpetually lazy landlords, the bleakness of a changing climate. The fear we hold for future generations – to say nothing of our own. It’s a conversation I’ve had with more people than anticipated, a conversation that I haven’t always been the one to initiate. 

I never thought I would like economics. I thought it was for people in suits, people who cared about finance, people who saw the nonhuman world as nothing but a pool of resources to exploit. It turns out, however, that the version of economics we usually study in classrooms is not the only version out there. 

This class, then, is for people who are ready for a different kind of economics class. We return to the origins of the word and consider the ways in which economics is, at its core, the study of managing our home, making peace with limits, how we recognize and allocate abundance, and how we fundamentally relate to each other. How we find our place in the web of life. And we consider the fact that in doing so, we don’t need to organize our economies around principles of exploitation and profit. Instead, this class is for anyone who believes – or is at least curious about – the possibilities of cultivating economies around principles of wellbeing for all. This is for anyone who wants to connect that funny feeling that things aren’t going well to a long and complex history, then leverage that knowledge to create something better. 

The course is fully asynchronous and online; learners are expected to know the basics of navigating an online space and abide by a code of conduct, and can complete the course at their own pace. All learning materials in this course, including readings, pre-recorded video, audio, and discussions are in English.

Meet Mackenzie Faber

Mackenzie (she/her) moved between New Jersey, Brooklyn, and Colorado before returning to Vermont. Her training in sociology and humanities-focused environmental studies translated into a love for food systems, which she studied formally after a couple years of hopping from small farm to small farm and paying rent with restaurant work. Her work today, informed by a commitment to the dignified conditions for all who labor across the food supply chain, focuses on heterodox food systems and economics. She roots her work in the fervent belief that food is about more than hectares, calories, and yields; for her, food is complex, food is sacred, and food is joy. In addition to convening EcoGather’s course in Wellbeing Economies, she’s taught Security, Sovereignty, and Justice in World Food Systems at Sterling College, helped establish and facilitate EcoGatherings on subjects ranging from gift economies to rage and joy, and most of her writing can be found on the EcoGather blog.  Originally from northern New Jersey, Mackenzie is a fervent believer in the restorative properties of a good bagel.

Disclaimer: Course descriptions on this webpage are for informational purposes only.  Content may be updated or change as planning evolves.  Sterling College reserves the right to alter the program specifics, including details about course content, instructors, collaborations, field trips, facilities and pricing, at any time without notice.