In recent years, various initiatives have been launched to strengthen local production and consumption
in order to foster a resistance economy, reclaiming resources mostly monopolized by the Israeli
occupation system. Driven by intellectuals and producers, these citizens’ engagements reconsider
the foundations of the Palestinian economy in the context of on-going occupation and settler colonialism.
While neoliberalism is associated with the colonization of the West Bank, the economic
assumptions of the Oslo period and neoliberal orthodoxy have to be challenged in order to think
a resistance economy that would bring back forms of sovereignty: food sovereignty is then considered
as the first one to be restored, important as the ultimate frontier of territorial, political and
economic dispossession. These new practices are both rooted in Palestinian history and self-ruled
experiences of the first Intifada and inspired by global networks and knowledge, i.e. those of the
social economy and the sharing economy that blossom worldwide, in Europe, North and South
America, Africa... These initiatives are not only about agriculture (organic production, Agroecology,
consumers groups, farmers’ unions engagements) that plays a key role in Palestinian economy, but
also about tourism (alternative tourism), Community funding systems, renewable energy, heritage
oriented projects, social entrepreneurship…etc.
This workshop will bring together Palestinian and European scholars with producers, civil society
groups and networks, entrepreneurs from various sectors, committed citizens to reevaluate the
local economy in Palestine and get inspired by global experiences. How can citizens endorse their
role as main actors in local economic development? How to connect the various initiatives? How to
come up with new ideas and projects to strengthen a sharing and resistance economy in a context
of non-sovereignty? Given the incapacity of macro-actors, what new dimensions and opportunities
can be opened up for local and citizen initiatives?

Conference Title

ACTIVE CITIZENS: PRODUCING AND CONSUMING IN A RESISTANCE ECONOMY TODAY IN PALESTINE

Conference Country

Palestine

Conference Date

Dec. 8, 2015 - Dec. 8, 2015

Conference Sponsor

Institit Frabcais du Proche-Orient IFPO المعهد الفربسي للشرق الادنى + An-Najah National University

Additional Info

Conference Website