There has been an increasing debate related to the environmental,
social and economic issues deriving from the neo-liberal political
economic system of the West, where monetary profit is in the core. So
far, the state and the market seems to have failed in addressing these
issues properly. Academic critiques have been developed, but lacking
a definite practical approach, they do not provide a clear vision of the
actual path for transition towards sustainability. The focus of this
thesis is the lifestyle of eco-communities in Denmark, as a practical
approach towards a more sustainable society, where environmental
consciousness, social welfare, solidarity and democracy are
fundamental. Using interviews and observations, the aim is to provide
a thorough investigation about “How can eco-communities thrive,
grow and spread in the present economic growth oriented context of
Denmark, and to what extent do they represent a viable model for
transition to a sustainable society?” During our critical investigation,
we found out that even though the communality typical for the Danish
society seems to be in favor for these eco-communities to thrive and
grow, there are political, social, economic and institutional
peculiarities, which challenge significantly the overall goal of
sustainability in these communities, and their possibilities for
spreading in the country.