Book Presentation – Unconditional Freedom: Universal Basic Income and Social Power

“Unconditional Freedom: Universal Basic Income and Social Power”: Book Presentation with David Casassas on September 4, 2024

On September 4, 2024, the University of Freiburg (KG 1, HS 1016) will host the book presentation of “Unconditional Freedom: Universal Basic Income and Social Power.” The event, organized in collaboration with FRIBIS, will feature the author David Casassas from the University of Barcelona. He will be joined by Ben Spies-Butcher (Macquarie University) and Bianca Blum (University of Freiburg) for a discussion.

In “Unconditional Freedom,” Casassas examines the role of Universal Basic Income (UBI) in fostering a free life, discussing its potential to mitigate social exclusion and precarious employment. The book also explores how UBI can enhance the bargaining power of individuals and collectives, contributing to the democratization of society.

This presentation marks the beginning of an expert workshop on the following day, focusing on Basic Income as an Exit Device: Possibilities and Challenges. The workshop is organized by Jurgen De Wispelaere and Fabienne Hansen as part of the FRIBIS workshop series. Presentations will be held by David Casassas (University of Barcelona) and Ben Spies-Butcher (Macquarie University), as well as various junior researchers. The event brings together proponents and critics of the exit option and the role it can play in a basic income society. The workshop is closed for the general public. Please contact eventmanagement@fribis.uni-freiburg.de for further information.

The book is available as a paperback (£19.99, with a free eBook) and as an eBook (£17.99).

Location: KG 1, HS 1016, University of Freiburg

Date and Time: September 4, 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM CEST

David Casassas is an Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona, where he specializes in social and political theory. He is a former Secretary of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) and a member of its International Advisory Board. He has published extensively on republicanism, socialism, and basic income.
Ben Spies-Butcher teaches Economy and Society at Macquarie School of Social Sciences and is a co-director of the Australian Basic Income Lab, a joint initiative with the School of Social and Political Science at Sydney University and the Crawford School at the Australian National University.
Bianca Blum studied Economics at the University of Freiburg and is actively involved with the Freiburg Institute for Basic Income Studies (FRIBIS), where she coordinates the UBI and Social-Ecological Transformation team (UBITrans) and leads the student group (StuG). Her dissertation dealt with the question of a crisis-preventive economic and regulatory policy for sustainable development.