Roots of Change Study Circle Curriculum

“Rethinking basic assumptions. Exploring root causes. Pointing to a new direction.”

In preparation for the release of The Economics of Happiness, ISEC updated its Roots of Change study circle curriculum. The curriculum consists of over a dozen modules covering the full range of topics introduced in The Economics of Happiness - but in much greater depth. Roots of Change (RoC) is a guided study circle program. The curriculum includes readings from the world's leading political, economic and ecological thinkers that lay out both how we've arrived at our present predicament and what we can do about it. The emphasis is on education for action: helping us see the big picture, unearth root causes and identify strategic positive actions. No academic background is required.

The Roots of Change program has three main goals:

To encourage a broad analysis of the origins and workings of the global economy;
To promote discussion about the social, economic and ecological impacts of corporate globalization and the many potential benefits of localization;
To help generate strategies for effective local action and global partnerships.

The first set of modules feature readings on topics such as challenging corporate power; consumerism and unhappiness; the perils of endless-growth economics; the politics of science and technology, and rethinking education and development.

The second half of the curriculum surveys an inspiring multiplicity of living examples that represent a global movement towards localization. Readers are introduced to diverse policies and proven grassroots tools for the renewal of local communities and economies.