Dimitra Pilichou

Dimitra joined the Department of Geography as a postgraduate research student in 2019. She holds a Bsc in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Athens as well as a MA in Social research from the University of Sheffield. Before her MA, Dimitra was working as a Sustainability Projects Assistant at the Estates and Facilities Management department of the university. From 2011 until today, Dimitra has a wide ranging experience of eco-communities and similar projects, including a six-month Erasmus internship in Sunseed Desert Technology in Spain and months of staying on location at the Free and Real, Kalikalos and Calme Garden projects in Greece.

Does living in an eco-community make you happier? - Critical evaluation of case studies from Greece as potential alternative development pathways

According to the United Nations, depression ranks first worldwide as “a cause of years lost due to disability” and by 2030 it is projected to be also the leading global burden amongst all diseases. The increasing prevalence of phenomena such as mental health conditions in nations with high GDP reinforces a wave of dissent expressed since the 1970s that criticises economic growth for not being a reliable prosperity indicator. At the same time, the imminent threat of climate change and environmental degradation had led to a growing realisation of the necessity to develop post-consumeristic values and lifestyles that will enable us to combine a high quality of life with measurably reduced resource use. Eco-communities are characterised by this kind of lifestyle and yet little is known about the experiences of happiness and life satisfaction in these spaces. The specific socioeconomic conditions of Greece, not least being the first country in the world to fall from a developed to an emerging market status while witnessing a rise in the formation of eco-communities, make for a fascinating and fertile ground for such an exploration. Through a combination of interviews, focus groups, observations and autoethnography, I have gained an insight into how happiness is understood, experienced, and sought by eco-community residents in Greece. Elements that set this lifestyle apart are also identified and their effect critically evaluated. Although they have always been niches, on the fringes, eco-communities can now be seen as experimental sites relevant to core global goals. Their well-being potential has numerous things to teach us with several implications for both policy and the wider society.

Supervisors: Prof Jenny Pickerill, Dr Sammia Poveda