Abstract
This article presents the conclusion of the author’s trilogy on social and political ecology, which was published in soziales_kapital. The present contribution focusses on the concept of the imperial mode of living, which was coined by Ulrich Brand and Markus Wissen in their eponymous book. Brand’s and Wissen’s concept has attracted significant interest, albeit not yet in social work. The imperial mode of living, as explained by Brand and Wissen, is characterised by its capacity for self-reproduction through externalisation and exclusivity. Its dissemination is a generalisation of something that cannot be generalised, because it is detrimental to nature and other people.. However, a further development of Brand’s and Wissen’s concept is required. If the imperial mode of living is linked to subjectification, then an imperial mode of experience can be posited. Finally, if the concept of the imperial way of living is defined more precisely, it can serve as another basic concept of green social work. Consequently, their efforts may also encompass a transformation of the imperial mode of living.
Keywords: green social work, political ecology, imperial mode of living, social relations with nature, externalisation, exclusivity, imperial mode of experiencing