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You are here: Home / Publications / Ancient Futures – a book by Helena Norberg-Hodge
Ancient Futures by Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder of Local Futures

The book ‘Ancient Futures’ is Helena Norberg-Hodge’s moving portrait of tradition and change in Ladakh (or “Little Tibet”), a scathing critique of the global economy, and a rallying call for economic localization. Originally published in 1991, the updated 2016 edition contains a new preface by the author, as well as the original foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama and an afterword by Peter Matthiesen.

The award-winning film ‘Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh’ is free to watch below. The book and film are translated into more than 40 languages. View all translations here.

Order the book →
Download the E-book →

When Helena Norberg-Hodge first arrived in Ladakh, in northern India, she found a pristine environment and a people who exhibited remarkable vitality and joy. But then came economic growth and development. Over the last four decades, a whole range of problems—from polluted air and water to unemployment, religious conflict, eating disorders and youth suicide—have begun to appear for the first time.

Ancient Futures by Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder of Local Futures

Yet this is far from a story of despair. Social and environmental breakdown, Norberg-Hodge argues, is neither inevitable nor evolutionary, but the product of political and economic decisions—and those decisions can be changed.

In a new preface, she presents a kaleidoscope of projects around the world that are pointing the way to both human and ecological well-being. These initiatives are the manifestation of a rapidly growing localization movement, which works to rebuild place-based cultures—strengthening community and our connection with nature. Ancient Futures challenges us to redefine what a healthy society means and to find ways to carry centuries-old wisdom into our future.

Local Futures logoPublished by Local Futures

Praise for ‘Ancient Futures’

“Everyone who cares about the future of this planet and their children’s future should read this book.”
~ The Guardian ~
“Some books provide insights into our problems; others offer guidelines for a different future. Ancient Futures does both, brilliantly. A true classic.”
~ Bill McKibben ~
“Ancient Futures was a critical early warning about the social, spiritual and ecological costs of exporting ‘Western’ lifestyles to every corner of the globe.”
~ Naomi Klein ~
“Ancient Futures was a formative influence on my worldview. That it is still so relevant today shows how far ahead of its time it was.”
~ Charles Eisenstein ~
“When I first read Ancient Futures in 1992, it changed my life, and it has colored my thinking in all the years since.”
~ Richard Heinberg ~

The film ‘Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh’

The award-winning film based on the book was produced and narrated in 1993 by Local Futures’ Programs Director, John Page. The film is FREE TO WATCH below and on Vimeo and YouTube. You can also order the DVD via our online shop. Watch the 3-minute trailer on here.

Watch on Vimeo →
Watch on YouTube →
Order the DVD →

About the author

Helena Norberg-Hodge, author, filmmaker and founder of Local Futures

Helena Norberg-Hodge – Founder and Director

Author and filmmaker Helena Norberg-Hodge is the founder and director of Local Futures. A pioneer of the ‘new economy’ movement, she has been promoting an economics of personal, social and ecological well-being for more than forty years. In addition to authoring Ancient Futures, Helena produced and co-directed the award-winning documentary The Economics of Happiness. Her latest book, Local is Our Future was published in 2019.

Read full biography →
  • Books and reports
    • Local is Our Future by Helena Norberg-Hodge
      • Endorsements for Local is Our Future
      • Translations of Local is Our Future
    • Ancient Futures by Helena Norberg-Hodge
    • Free reading materials
    • Newsletters & annual reports
    • Translated resources
  • Films and short videos
    • LOCAL: A Story of Hope short video
    • Going Local: the solution-multiplier animation
    • Insane Trade short video and factsheet
      • Insane Trade! & factsheet translated
    • The Economics of Happiness film
    • Ancient Futures film
    • Planet Local short film series
      • 1 – Introduction: The new local food movement
      • 2 – Diverse farming systems
      • 3 – Local food webs: Exploring systems of distribution
      • 4 – Local food processors: AKA making delicious food
      • 5 – Challenges & solutions
      • 6 – Ecovillages & networks for new farmers
      • 7 – and finally… Here’s a little more inspiration

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