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Adam R. Mathews

Adam R. Mathews is a novelist and a teacher, a scientist and a cyclist. Equally at home programme managing language schools or running degrowth workshops, he is a global thinker and keen localist.

After the concept of an all-pervasive corporation came to him while walking in Manchester's Whitworth Park, Adam spent a decade stewing on his neo-liberal dystopia before he started to write. In that time he lived across Europe, from Budapest to Madrid, immersing himself in the cultures, quirks and social movements of his adopted homes.

Adam weaves his experiences into his writing, to make fiction that challenges the shortcomings of neo-liberalism. His first novel Pap came out in 2016, but the foundation tale PapRise is the book he always wanted to write. He recently moved back to the UK in order to promote his work.

The Aimless Wanderer hosts the author's writings, visuals, podcasts and lessons. Unless otherwise stated, all files on this site exist under a Creative Commons license, which means everything can freely be shared for non-commercial purposes. All I ask is that you source all material by linking to aimlesswanderer.org and crediting Adam R. Mathews.

Selected Appearances

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Past Events

Case Study: Using AI in Curriculum Development
AI in ELT. Macmillan Education Workshop

29th September 2023, Stafford House, London

Presenting alongside EFL superstars Nik Peachey and Neil Harris, Adam told the story of how he incorporated environmentalist thought and a participatory, problem-based approach into a summer school syllabus that made wide use of AI.

Advertising Degrowth

2nd September 2023 1st-25th August 2018 - 9th International Degrowth Conference, Zagreb, Croatia

On the last day of the 9th International Degrowth Conference, Adam brought together participants from around the world to discuss ways of promoting an environmentalist mindset by creating advertisements for their preferred aspects of degrowth.

PapRise: A Story of Growth and Betrayal or How PapCorp Came to Rule the World
Book Presentation

23rd November 2019 - Dile English School, Salamanca

Once again, Dile English School kindly hosted me as I read sections from PapRise and gave explanations in Spanish and English.

Arguing for Utopia
Dialogues in Turbulent Times

21st-25th August 2018 - 6th International Degrowth Conference, Malmo

In the final event of the 6th International Degrowth Conference, Adam brought together participants from around the world to create fictional dialogues addressing real-world problems.

Unnecessary, Unwanted and Uncalled-for
A Workshop on Uselessness

30th March 2017 - University of Amsterdam

Adam R. Mathews presented his paper 'On the Value of Uselessness for Refugees' during the session on 'People in (dis)use'. In it, he argued that giving refugees space and time is vital not just for our common humanity, but also for our personal security and future well-being.

Workshop on 'The Dangers of Technology'
and Pap Presentation

31st August & 1st September 2016 - Degrowth Week, Budapest

Budapest was the venue for the 5th International Degrowth Conference. As part of the fringe Degrowth Week, Adam presented his novel at the city's Corvinus University, and then ran a Creative Writing Workshop themed around the Dangers of Technology.

Pap: A 21st Century Dystopia book presentation

23rd April 2016 - Dile English School, Salamanca

On the international Day of Books - a holiday in the autonomous community of Castile and Le�n Salamanca's bohemian Barrio del Oeste neighbourhood was a perfect setting for the presentation. Thanks to my friends at Dile English School for being such kind hosts.

Video in English/Spanish with English subtitles

Articles

A View from Europe

Brexit

How not to run an Economy

The Theft of National Symbols
Comparing a Hungarian national icon and the British Legion's poppy

Policing and the rule of law
Hungary's use of their police force is a lesson for Madrid

Catalonia and Scotland
How do the two independence movements compare?

The Hungarian Referendum
Fear and opportunism in the European Union

A Letter from an English European
A last minute plea to my countryfolk

Who is the Unregulated Monster?
Britain is not a beacon of democracy and a break from Europe won't help

Why BREXIT would be madness
It's not scaremongering to say an Out vote on 23 June could have disastrous effects

Private Ambulances reveal the pernicious truth
The proliferation of private patient transport belies NHS privatisation

Industrial Rise and Decline
What the Black Country tells us about the wider world

Utilities and Resources
Gas is not a sustainable energy source

Growth and Debt
How long can we keep growing our economies to keep us with our debts?

They hang the man and flog the woman
That steals the goose from off the common
But let the greater villain loose
That steals the common from the goose

created and nurtured by adam r. mathews