Sol Trumbo Vila Programme Coordinator

The economic and political relevance of cities is growing in the current historical context, which is defined by the tensions arising from the exhaustion of the latest phase of capitalism: neoliberal globalisation. By focusing on cities, we can find multiple economic and political practices that contribute to a global transformation towards a post-capitalist future. The Transformative Cities People´s Choice Award and the Atlas of Utopias are intended as a process and a tool to give greater visibility and resources to local practices that preconfigure post-capitalism, thus facilitating its spread and prosperity. This article introduces the relevance of this process-platform. It is the first in a series of pieces from diverse authors that explore the lessons learned after four years of work and three editions of this initiative.

With the results still playing out, the survival of parties like Barcelona en Comú will depend on their ability to bring together the ‘three souls’ of the movement.