Jenny Pickerill's edited volume makes a critical contribution to the vibrant, interdisciplinary study of eco-communities, intentional communities, and real utopias. Bringing a feminist, decolonial, and intersectional perspective to these prefigurative initiatives is essentialnot only for understanding their inescapable entanglement in the techno-patriarchal-racist dynamics of contemporary capitalismbut also for providing activists and practitioners with rigorous scholarly reflections that can spark politically honest (and sometimes uncomfortable) conversations on the ground. Eco-communities and other communal "real utopias" are often criticized for reproducing the same inequalities found in mainstream society. This volume serves as an essential starting point for engaging with this debate, offering nuance, insight, and, ultimately, a much-needed sense of hope and openness to the reader. * Lara Monticelli, University College London, UK * Based on transdisciplinary empirical research, this important book offers detailed insights into the living realities of eco-communities. Discussing the realization of their utopian approaches, including major critical issues such as power dynamics, exclusivity, and resource management, the authors offer an extraordinary nuanced perspective on the complexity of these socio-ecological experiments for societal transformation. * Iris Kunze, PhD. * Eco-communities are not just a nice addition they are essential parts of safe future. In this edited collection, Jenny Pickerill skillfully and joyfully takes us on a journey through an abundance of exciting experiments that challenge us all to live more fulfilling community lives. * Paul Chatterton, University of Leeds, UK * A wonderful exploration of the importance and challenges of eco-community habitats. This book brings nuance, understanding, and empathy to the difficulties of living against the grain of mainstream life while remaining ever attentive to the reasons why people experiment with environmentally responsible, collective forms of living. Empirically rich and analytically insightful * Davina Cooper, King's College London, UK *
