by Peter Knight | Dec 18, 2022 | Events, News
The 21st annual BIG Conference will be held in Chicago, June 8-9, 2023. The theme for the 2023 BIG Conference is Building Momentum Across the Movement, with a focus on the following areas: Building Intersectional Coalitions, Shifting Culture and Narratives, and Nurturing a Diverse Policy Landscape.
Please mark your calendars, spread the word, and consider submitting a proposal.
Submit your proposal by 20 January 2023: to do so start by clicking here.
Here is the conference website: https://www.thebigconference.org/
by Peter Knight | Dec 16, 2022 | News
(Photo of Sergi Raventos, the Head of the Office of the Pilot Plan to Implement the Universal Basic Income in Catalonia by Rubén Moreno, Generalitat de Catalunya)
The Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot plan is one of the projects that the Catalan Government will carry out during this term of office that ends in February 2025.
In the Catalan pilot plan, some 5,000 people will receive the UBI: 2,500 will be randomly selected from all households in Catalonia and the remaining 2,500 will correspond to the population of two municipalities.
During the two years of the pilot, participants will receive a monthly payment of €800 per adult and €300 per child under 18 years of age. Individuals with the 10% highest incomes will be excluded from participating in the pilot, as well as people who have paid the patrimony tax (real estate of more than 500.000 euros). This is because the economic simulations of what an hypothetical basic income policy in Catalonia would look like, stated that the balance between the taxes and the amount of money of the UBI would be negative for the 10-15% highest incomes – they wouldn’t have a net gain with the UBI. That’s why the design excludes them from the pilot. Also excluded are people who have had to pay the patrimony tax so as not to include people without labour income (who would be eligible) but have enormous wealth in properties (living off investments, rents, etc.).
All persons who, once the random selection by addresses and municipalities has been carried out and their selection has been communicated by mail, formalize their willingness to participate by means of the web form, will be considered as participants in the pilot plan.
For more information click here to visit the project’s English language website. A number of well-known BIEN members are on the Scientific Committee supporting the project. Click here to view a presentation on the project with details on its design.
by Peter Knight | Dec 14, 2022 | Events, News
On Thursday, the 19th of January 2023, Prof. Dr. Philippe van Parijs (UCLouvain) gives an evening lecture in the FRIBIS Lecture Series on “A world in crisis: boost or damper for basic income?“
Abstract: Some argue that global warming, the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine strengthen the case in favour of the introduction of an unconditional basic income. Others argue instead that they shatter the prospect of introducing it in the foreseeable future. Who is right?
Find more information and a Zoom link click here.
by Peter Knight | Dec 13, 2022 | News
In Senegal, a trial for delivering a universal unconditional income is currently being studied by the NGO Enda Graf Sahel, chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Seyni Ndione. This project would be conducted in the town of Ethiolo in the South-East of Senegal. The mayor, Mr. Lama Ndiaye has given his support. To see an interview with Mayor Ndiaye click here.
More information is available at www.darui.fr.
by Peter Knight | Dec 2, 2022 | News
The First Resort “is a history of the rise and fall of social psychiatry that also explores the lessons this largely forgotten movement has to offer today. Matthew Smith examines four ambitious projects that investigated the relationship between socioeconomic factors and mental illness in Chicago, New Haven, New York City, and Nova Scotia. He contends that social psychiatry waned not because of flaws in its preventive approach to mental health but rather because the economic and political crises of the 1970s and the shift to the right during the 1980s foreclosed the social changes required to create a more mentally healthy society. Smith also argues that social psychiatry provides timely insights about how progressive social policies, such as a universal basic income, can help stem rising rates of mental illness in the present day.”
Matthew Smith has also written a blog post on the relation between mental health: https://theconversation.com/universal-basic-income-could-improve-the-nations-mental-health-123816.
