Dr Katy Fox is a social anthropologist passionate about social and cultural transformation.

Her doctoral research concerned itself with the impacts of EU agriculture policy on the lives of subsistence farmers in Romania. She has since worked to defend the right to a livelihood for small farmers. Her current work is more focused on social change and the interconnections between ecosystems and social systems. In 2010, she founded CELL, the Centre for Ecological Learning Luxembourg, a laboratory for permaculture ethics and practice in relation to peak oil and climate change concerns.

What are the links between courage and connection? If the trees of a forest are all connected into one big organism underground, could the same image not be applied to us humans? Katy will take you on a journey to shepherds of the Carpathian Mountains with whom she lived and to eco-villagers and citizens who are part of the permaculture movement she now passionately adheres to.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)