Periskop is a non-profit association that works towards changing the current system and building a society based on solidarity and ecological justice.
We want to tackle the multiple crisis we are currently experiencing – on an ecological, economic, social and political level – at its roots. We are not content with superficial reforms of the status quo. Inherent to our approach to problems and challenges is a systemic perspective. For that we need to face current developments in our society, identify both challenges for change and points of leverage that enable us to show how change can take place and what courses of action are already possible.
In order to do so we aim to generate and share knowledge, interfere with hegemonic discourses and create bridges between science, social movements and policy makers. We also want to show the urgency of crucial decisions and identify false ‘solutions’ – not shying away from conflict.
A society based on solidarity and ecological justice means a good life for all. This is only possible if we do not choose to have a ‘better life for a few’ at the cost of the rest.
The current multiple crisis shows how crucial a fundamental societal change is: among them the climate crisis, a rapid decline of biodiversity and deteriorating living conditions that lead to more and more people having to leave their countries of origin.
All of these different crises have common causes, which are currently neither named nor tackled by dominant discourses. Yet we need to provide realistic and attractive alternatives, especially to right wing and extremist powers that provide authoritarian ‘solutions’, based on creating a ‘fortress Europe’, racism and the destruction of the welfare system.
There is no easy answer, yet there are several different strategies and recommendations that range from de-globalisation based on solidarity and de-colonisation, to redistribution and the attempt to remove unfair privileges.
A deep socio-ecological transformation can only take place in an all-encompassing way. It contains the struggle against all forms of discrimination, such as racism or sexism, but also the abandonment of false solutions and green-washing. And it cannot be successful without overcoming the capitalist system.
For that, we need the support of an emancipated civil society that tries to develop new perspectives on how to live and work together in solidarity and how to shape the socio-ecological transformation.
A periscope enables new perspectives
With our work we aim to create new perspectives. We engage with topics such as work, time, the green economy and false solutions (critiquing market-based strategies concerning the environment and climate, such as emissions trading and offsetting), climate justice, mobility, capitalism, migration and borders, agricultural policies and food sovereignty.
Founded in 2018, we are currently establishing our collective based on voluntary work as well as a number of paid positions enabled by various grants and funding bodies.