Life politics and existential meaning in an alternative rural society

The example of Uddebo

Abstract

This article explores the existential driving forces to develop an economically, socially, and ecologically sustainable alternative rural space, where circular economy, self-sufficiency and work-critical attitudes prevail. By focusing on 15 individual narratives, we analyze concrete practices and shared efforts as a road to an alternative local community and an existentially meaningful everyday life. The analysis is framed by an existential sociological perspective and by Beck’s idea of the Children of Freedom in second modernity. By developing a life-political approach where “less is more”, the interviewees both want to achieve a meaningful life in the present and build a sustainable society for future generations. The goal is for everyone to decide for themselves about their time use and finding collective solutions to individual problems, creating a space where existential meaning replaces the lived experience of meaninglessness in the consumer- and working society. However, the attempts to establish an alternative rural society also contain dilemmas and conflicts related to finding independent organizing and financing opportunities.