Prefiguration and ecology: understanding the ontological politics of ecotopian movements

In this chapter we discuss prefiguration from the perspective of environmental activism, interweaving the concept of ‘ecological prefiguration’ with the related debate on ‘ecotopia’, and point to some of the challenges social movements face in striving towards an ecological society. After reviewing the literature that discusses ecological prefiguration and ecotopia from different disciplinary perspectives, we argue that ecological prefiguration should be approached from an ‘ontological politics’ perspective. This shows that what is at stake in ecological prefiguration is not so much the anticipation of some desired features of the future in the present but rather the disclosure of a potential of ontological alternative that can open a space for the radical imagination of alternative value practices. This can help to clarify both the transgressive potential of ecotopian initiatives as expressions of a larger movement of everyday environmentalism as well as the specific challenges that this form of engagement entails. Using the example of the transnational permaculture movement, we show how investigating ‘value practices’ can shed light on how ecological prefiguration can contribute to create a more just and sustainable society but also on the limitations it poses when it sidelines more confrontational or contentious approaches to socioecological change.