The future is unknown, but it is anticipated that the transition from worldwide growth to de-growth and post-growth will be slow, chaotic, and violent. A gradual shift from competition to cooperation can emerge, but most humans and most governments will resort to scapegoating and grabbing of dwindling natural resources -- space, land, energy, minerals, etc. In times of crisis, people "revert to type." The patriarchal mindset is insidious. It is reasonable to expect a transition continuum with unpredictable mixes of humanitarian cooperation and indecent competition as people migrate away from unsustainable cities. Cultural evolution for deep adaptation will not happen easily. The emergence of a new, socially cohesive and ecologically sustainable civilization, is contingent on abiding by the Golden Rule.
This edition includes several articles on critical issues of social and ecological justice, and supplements on human relations and global transition scenarios. The sequence of articles follows the see ~ judge ~ act pattern (more or less, with some overlaps) and it is becoming increasingly clear that the forthcoming transition from growth to post-growth is not likely to be fair and peaceful if global population and consumption keep growing. Can most humans adapt to supply constraints? Peacefully?
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