Hampering Toxicity’s Reign: Grounded Care Practices and Radical Imagination against a Self-Destructive Culture

Our world is saturated with toxicity, both literal and metaphorical. From physical “sacrifice zones” and poisoned bodies to a social and political climate devoid of moral compass, the logic of accumulation sacrifices life and planetary wellbeing. Countering this pervasive self-destruction requires more than critique; it demands reformulating the underlying beliefs and institutions, coupled with concrete practices of alternative world-making. Inspired by the Ecological Design Collective’s search for antidotes to toxic culture, this seminar explores Care Municipalism and envisions earthcare infrastructures as tangible responses. We will first unpack the sacrificial logics at the heart of this toxic culture. Then, we will propose Care Municipalism as a transformative counter-strategy, a political project that dissolves the ontological rift between “social” and “ecological” care. Through lived democratic practice and shared responsibility for provisioning, we can build pathways that hamper what destroys and begin building anew.

This conversation between Barcelona and Baltimore will be held online via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link.

May 14 2026
17:30 CET and 11:30 EST