Online Articles & Interviews

ISEC Newsletter (Pdf's):
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003

ISEC: A Brief History (160kb pdf file)
We’ve been involved with cultural, economic and ecological issues for three decades now, and felt that it was an appropriate time for a brief “retrospective”. What follows is far from comprehensive, but hopefully gives an idea of the breadth of our work.

Annotated Bibliography
A bibliography of nearly 100 titles, with brief descriptions, organised by categories encompassing traditional cultures, development, the meaning of 'progress', the dominance of science and technology, alternatives to conventional economics, paths towards more ecological ways of living, and others.

Breaking up the Monoculture, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
A detailed look at the importance of diversity - both cultural and biological - and how it is being threatened by the spread of the global monoculture. Originally published in The Nation magazine, July 15-22, 1996.

Bringing the Food Economy Home, by Helena Norberg-Hodge and Steven Gorelick.
Based on the book of the same name, this article summarises the case against global food, and looks at the steps needed to localise food production and marketing. Originally published as "Think Global... Eat Local" in the September 2002 issue of The Ecologist.

Buddhism in the Global Economy, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
Considers traditional Buddhist teachings to evaluate the response of western Buddhists to today's economic and technological trends.

The Case for Local Food, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
A concise description of the systemic benefits of local foods.

The Farm Crisis, by Steven Gorelick.
Looks at the plight of small farmers in both North and South, and finds the roots of their problem in a global economy whose very structure is fatal for small producers. Originally published in the June 2000 issue of The Ecologist magazine.

Globalisation and Terror, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
The spread of the consumer monoculture is exacerbating fundamentalism, ethnic conflict - even terrorism. The US response to the September 11 terrorist attack will only make matters worse. Originally published in the December 2001 issue of The Ecologist.

Globalisation Explained, by John Page.
A concise overview of the process of globalisation and its negative impact on jobs, the environment, food and farming, community, and the South; also discusses policy-level and grassroots initiatives that can reverse these destructive trends.

Globalisation versus Community, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
Contrasts the global food distribution system with the range of options collectively known as 'community supported agriculture'.

The March of the Monoculture, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
Describes the psychological forces leading people all over the South to abandon their own cultural traditions in favour of an idealised 'modern' consumer culture. Originally published in the May/June 1999 issue of The Ecologist magazine.

The Pressure to Modernise, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
Examines the psychological pressures that induce people in the South to abandon their own cultural traditions in an attempt to be 'modern'. Adapted from Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh, and first published in The Future of Progress.

Rambo, Barbie and Wordsworth, by John Page.
Examines western-style schooling in Ladakh, and asks whether this form of education - common throughout the South - really benefits children. Originally published in Resurgence magazine.

Reclaiming Our Food, by Helena Norberg-Hodge.
Describes how the local food movement, one of the most successful grassroots examples of localisation, offers an antidote to the march of globalisation. Originally published in the May/June 1999 issue of The Ecologist magazine.

Social Costs of Globalisation, by Helena Norberg-Hodge and Steven Gorelick.
The disturbed state of so many of America's children tells us that the social and psychological costs of the consumer culture are too high to ignore. If the American Dream isn't working for them, why should anyone, anywhere, believe it will work better for their own children? Originally published as "Have a Nice Day" in the September 2002 issue of The Ecologist.

Tipping the Scale, by Steven Gorelick.
Explains how government policies and taxpayer-funded subsidies systematically support the large and global at the expense of the small and local. Originally published in the May/June 1999 issue of The Ecologist.

Interviews with Helena Norberg-Hodge

Planetary Voices Radio
Learning from Ladakh - Helena Norberg-Hodge on how the development that changed "Little Tibet" can shape our thinking.

Michael O'Callaghan’s interviews with Helena Norberg-Hodge filmed at the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, available to watch online at Big Picture TV. On the site you will find the following five clips:

Sustainable Economics
Helena Norberg-Hodge talks about corporate-led globalization. She explains how governments across the political spectrum pander to private sector demands, often at the expense of smaller businesses. Deregulation and subsidies mean that big business is driving farmers and other small enterprises into extinction. Many small businesses are forced to merge in order to survive, thereby creating a stress-ridden corporate culture based on survival of the biggest. What is needed, Norberg-Hodge says, is the globalization of an awareness that a sustainable economy ultimately depends on the health of the world’s natural and social environment. She notes that this is already happening as diverse interest groups link up to form an unprecedented united front against the status quo.


Local Food (Part One)
In the first of this two-part series, Helena Norberg-Hodge talks about the benefits supporting the local food economy can bring to consumers and producers. By reducing food miles, consumers can help ease climate change and support the livelihoods of local farmers. While local farms struggle to compete with giant agribusinesses, small farmers everywhere are also having to meet costly regulatory requirements brought about, in many cases, by the polluting practices of their much larger competitors. This means spending money they don‚t have. So find and support a local farmer‚s market and bring the food economy home


Local Food (Part two)
In the second part of this two-part series, Helena Norberg-Hodge explains why supporting the local food economy needn‚t mean we stop buying coffee, tropical fruits and other items flown in from many miles away. Consumers can be more aware of the origins of their staple foods ˆ that way they can make conscious choices to support local growers where possible. This cuts down on pollution and transportation costs and offers a host of other advantages to consumers and small producers alike.


Why GM Won't Solve Hunger
Many Bio-tech companies market their GM seeds by claiming that GM is the answer to world hunger. Here, Norberg-Hodge explains how these profit-driven behemoths are in reality preventing third-world farmers from planting native seeds they have used for generations. She also cites the lack of in depth risk assessment as a reason for putting the technology on hold.


Roots of Fundamentalism
Helena Norberg-Hodge looks at the root causes of much of the terrorism and ethnic violence we have witnessed in recent years. She sees the problem as being one of economics. Greater and greater competition is forcing smaller businesses into bankruptcy while others merge in order to survive. Jobs are being lost all around the world, creating a climate of stress and instability. The friction that results leads violence in some countries as national governments often favour specific ethnic groups. This is exacerbated as exported western values erode local cultural identity.