Transformative or market-driven? The Impact of Social and Solidarity Economy in the European Mediterranean City. An exploration of the aporias of value in the context of Bologna.

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is gaining momentum. This thesis examines the concept of transformative Social and Solidarity Economy through empirical observation as an analytical tool to observe social change in urban contexts. The research is motivated by the observation that much of the literature and public discourse focuses on SSE as a substitute welfare provider targeting specific population groups or furthering a market-driven approach. However, there is increasing attention being paid to SSE and its potential for positive social change. The study analyzes four SSE initiatives in an urban context in Southern Europe, specifically in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna region. The city has a strong cooperative and civic tradition. The analyzed cases represent significant dimensions of sustainable livelihoods that cannot be overlooked. The four case studies were chosen because they are pioneering SSE organizations that aim to address social needs with transformative goals, making them relevant in terms of social innovation. The initiatives consisted of a food cooperative, a community-supported agriculture (CSA), an urban community cooperative, and a prototype cooperative platform. The thesis aimed to investigate the potential for transformation and the critical conditions for success of SSE initiatives. The research question was developed based on a literature review and practitioners’ experiences to address the barriers that SSE initiatives face in relation to the mainstream economy and discourse. The argument is that developing alternative readings of value can shift our economic perspectives and open up new economic possibilities. The study used an action-research approach and emphasizes the importance of a deliberative form of evaluation, particularly through a critical use of the Theory of Change. Scholarship on diverse and community economies is argued to provide a valuable perspective for understanding transformative SSE that goes beyond the limitations of capitalocentrism.

www.researchgate.net/publication/380515692_Transformative_or_market-driven_The_Impact_of_Social_and_Solidarity_Economy_in_the_European_Mediterranean_City_An_exploration_of_the_aporias_of_value_in_the_context_of_Bologna