13. Beyond Money, Beyond Poverty: Anitra Nelson on Nonmonetary Futures and New Economies for Eradicating Poverty

Anitra Nelson joins Voices of the New Economy for a powerful conversation about degrowth, ecological economics, nonmonetary futures and the New Economies for Eradicating Poverty initiative. Together, we explore why money is not a neutral tool but a central mechanism of capitalism, how communities can organise work, care and resources beyond monetary exchange, and why poverty cannot be solved through economic growth alone. Anitra also shares insights from her involvement in the NEEP initiative, which proposes a human rights economy beyond growth, grounded in democratic governance, universal basic services, care, economic democracy and ecological limits. This episode invites listeners to question some of the deepest assumptions of the current economy and imagine what it would mean to build societies where everyone’s needs are met within the limits of the Earth.Anitra Nelson is an activist scholar, writer and researcher whose work focuses on degrowth, ecological economics, postcapitalist futures and nonmonetary ways of living. Affiliated with the University of Melbourne’s Informal Urbanism Research Hub and President-Elect of the International Society for Ecological Economics (2026–2027), she has spent decades exploring alternatives to growth-dependent economic systems. Anitra is the author and editor of numerous books, including Beyond Money: A Postcapitalist Strategy and Life Without Money, and recently contributed to the United Nations-backed New Economies for Eradicating Poverty (NEEP) initiative, which is developing pathways towards a human rights economy beyond growth.Voices of the New Economy is a collaborative storytelling project of NENA. The podcast is produced by the Humanitarian Changemakers Network (HCN), an Anchor Organisation of NENA, as part of its commitment to strengthening economic literacy, amplifying community innovation, and supporting pathways to systemic change. Each episode features researchers, practitioners, organisers, and everyday changemakers working across disciplines and communities to re-imagine how our economies can serve people and planet.LISTEN & EXPLORE FURTHERA full companion article for this episode is available here.Connect with NENA: Website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInConnect with Humanitarian Changemakers Network (HCN): Website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInGet involved: NENA members and friends are warmly invited to participate in the podcast — as interviewees, storytellers, or contributors to the NENA Storytelling Hub. To get involved, visit the Hub page or email: [email protected]