– CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS –
JANA MARASOVA

Since its appearance, the social and solidarity economy (SSE) has been oriented towards the future, even targeting the utopian horizon. The development of the conception of the social and solidarity economy had to respond to the problems related to the progress of action of the modern national states, whose economies were founded on the capitalist model. According to Bak et al. (2020), these included a concentration of power and property, industrialization and social atomization, and ruthless exploitation of resources. Gradually, the new post-industrial economy emerged with its model of performance and efficiency while producing the numerous effects of social disqualification of groups of workers in traditional industry and their exclusion from the labour market. The unlimited exploitation of natural resources is the origin of what is now called “the ecological question”, “global warming”, “the accelerated disappearance of species” which must be addressed on a global scale (Gatel, 2020).

For several years, the initiatives covered by the SSE have been numerous and are moving in new directions: fair trade, solidarity savings, environmental protection, the fight against exclusion and for equal opportunities, the circular economy, waste sorting, ethical banks, solidarity funds and others (Lacroix, Slitine, 2019; Bak et al., Szabo, Szaboova, 2020). They represent a spectrum of actions that transform the economy, democracy and justice linked by a common effort – reducing negative social phenomena, affirming the social and environmental responsibility of new generations. Driven by new initiatives, the solidarity economy can be considered as a ferment of man’s economic activities where these goals become the subject and object of his own transformation, where he asserts himself in his ability to think responsibly about the future around a project of a New Humanism that takes into account the environment and the aspirations of men to live responsibly.

SSE initiatives challenge the functioning of the economic and social system at the level of countries and regions so that development policies respect human rights and aim at social justice and respect for the environment. Their actions meet and support consumer needs, they transform and introduce new forms of organization and decision-making. These changes are based on a participatory democracy, on the mobilization of power to act of vulnerable groups but also they mobilize the reflexive capital of new generations who engage in the different fields of social and solidarity economy and give it a new impetus.

Published by the European network of social science researchers ERECO-PGV, the journal Mangament & Gouvernance wishes to devote one of the next issues to the transformation of actions, projects and initiatives carried out by social and solidarity economy actors in Europe, around a common problem of their metamorphoses. We think it is interesting and useful to know about the different activities carried out within the SSE that are developed in the EU Member States but also in the European countries that are embarking on the path of European integration or that are part of the different forms of partnership with the EU. Not only is it a question of identifying actors, partners and audiences of the SSE but thus of looking at the transformations of their modes of action, their expectations, on the power relations in which they take part. What place does SSE occupy at the level of countries, regions and local authorities? Does it give rise to new forms of cross-sectoral, transversal, international and beyond collaboration? What are the barriers that prevent its implementation in certain territories?

In this issue, we also want to highlight existing initiatives and projects that deserve to be valued, known by a wide audience and followed as “best practices” (Drugdova, 2021). It would also be important to study whether, and to what extent, European legislation and those of national countries support the development of SSE in general or at least some of its forms.

Proposals for contributions are expected by 30 March 2022 at: jana.marasova@umb.sk or ewa.martin@iepg.fr

BAK, N. J. et al. 2020. Ako rozvíjať solidárnu ekonomiku. Erasmus+ project: Building Up Social Solidarity Economy. RIPESS Europe.

DEFOURNY, J. – NYSSENS, M. 2017. Social and solidarity economy: Socioeconomics of the 3rd. From Boeck Superior.

DRUGDOVÁ, J. 2021. Possibilities of circular economy principles implementation into the business practice in Slovakia. [Doctoral thesis]. Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica. Faculty of Economics.

GATEL, J. 2020. The social and solidarity economy: reinventing hope – a new model of development. Free Solidarity.

LACROIX, G. – SLITINE, R. 2019. The social and solidarity economy. What do I know? 

LUBELCOVA, G. 2012. Sociálna ekonomika: koncepty, príležitosti, riziká. In: Sociológia 44, n. 1. Bratislava: Filozofická fakulta UK.

SZABO, S. – SZABOOVA, S. 2017. Príklady dobrej praxe. Sosna association project: Reduce, reuse, recycle: regional policy and local actions