Online Articles & Interviews

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.

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.