National Conference on Cooperatives, Mutual Aid and Solidarity Economies: Experiences from around the World (CMASE 3.0

Organizer: DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF KERALA

About the Conference

  • When: 1st to 3rd December 2022
  • on Hybrid Mode
  • Call for Papers
  • NB: Selected papers will be published as an edited volume with ISBN.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO 2009) defined the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) as a “concept designating enterprises and organizations, in particular cooperatives, mutual benefit societies, associations, foundations and social enterprises, which have the specific feature of producing goods, services, and knowledge while pursuing both economic and social aims and fostering solidarity.” The multitude of enterprises and organisations that come under the social and solidarity economy is largely evident in the global south in the form of cooperatives, mutual aid associations, self-help groups, and a diverse form of informal collectives. The interface between SSE, social movements, and activism both in terms of the role of social activities in establishing specific forms of SSEOEs, and the role of formal social movement institutions (associations, unions, etc.) as allies and enablers of SSE via advocacy, contestation and policy influence are found to be highly significant in the recent period.

In the modern context, the SSE addresses the explicit problems in almost all sectors of the economy – finance, education, health, housing, poverty, local development – in innovative ways. The ILO has ascertained the importance of SSE in the sectors in the following manner: “supporting the role of the private sector as a principal source of economic growth and job
creation by promoting an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises, in particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as cooperatives and the social and solidarity economy, to generate decent work, productive employment and improved living standards for all.” The role of SSE in contributing to distributive justice within
and beyond organizations is also impressive. The SSE contributes positively to distributive justice, such as ownership structure (e.g., workers’ cooperatives), equal surpluses, work integration or inclusive employment patterns, participation and democratic governance, and community engagement. In the broad backdrop, the national conference is set in and is expected to discuss the research output of researchers, experiences of practitioners and participants of cooperatives, mutual aid,
and solidarity economies from various parts of the world

The National Conference invites research papers in the following sub-themes

  • Diverse Community economies
  • Indigenous economies
  • Moral political economy/human economy
  • Social Economy/trust economy
  • Alliances in Agriculture and Allied activities (farming, fishing, forestry, etc.)
  • Social Capital and various forms of collectives (SHGs, ROSCAs, etc.)
  • Cooperatives/Informal Cooperatives
  • NGOs and foundations/Social Enterprises/Community Based Organizations
  • Ecological economics/commons (energy, water, etc.)
  • Partnerships and co-construction (manufacturing, marketing, processing, etc.)
  • Mutual aid: Informal Social Support System
  • Community-based care work
  • Regulatory/Legal Framework and Laws in SSE
  • Government Policies for SSE
  • Successful Business models in SSE vs Corporates
  • SSE in various sectors (finance, housing, education, etc.)

Important dates

  • Last date for submission of abstracts: 16th November 2022
  • Date for approved abstract notification: 19th November 2022
  • Last date for the full paper: 25th November 2022

(An abstract of not more than 500 words must include: a statement of theoretical concern, methodology, main arguments of the paper, and relevance to an international audience)- Email ID: cmase2022@gmail.com

Contact

Dr. Christabell P. J., Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Kerala,
Thiruvananthapuram – 695 581, Kerala – India
Email ID: christabell@keralauniversity.ac.in., Ph: 9497850893/6238038220

Organizing Committee
Chief Patron: Prof.(Dr.) Mohanan Kunnummal, Vice-Chancellor (in-charge)
Patrons: Prof. Sheeja S.R., Head
Prof. Prasad A.K
Prof. Manju S. Nair
Prof. Anitha V.
Mr. Siddik R

Dr. Sheeja S.R. Professor and Head, Department of Economics, University of Kerala, Kerala- India

Dr. Christabell P. J. Organizing Secretary

About the Department

The Department of Economics is one of the earliest of the teaching and research departments started in the University of Kerala and the first of its kind in Economics in the State. The Department was formed towards the end of 1959 with the appointment of two renowned economists, Prof. V R Pillai, and Prof. M A Oommen. The activities of the Department during the period 1959-62 were confined to the enrolment of students for Doctoral research and preparation of a blueprint for research activities and teaching programmes. Later M.Phil and Ph. D programmes were also started. Now the Department has a long history of 63 years’ spectacular performance in bringing out brilliant and eminent personals rendering their services in various national and international institutions of repute.



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