An Interactive View of the Social Economy

Abstract

In general, the emphasis of social economy theorists has been sectoral; that is, research has emphasized the uniqueness of the social economy, almost as if it is a world apart from the rest of society. This article, in contrast, focuses on the differing forms of interaction between the social economy and other parts of society. The authors use a Venn diagram to illustrate differing forms of interaction between the social economy and other parts of society, and also the fluidity of the social economy. The model presented assumes that the social economy is embedded within society, and some players within the social economy support social norms and others challenge these norms and present a transformative vision.