Collaborative Research: Mapping the US Solidarity Economy

Stephen Healy, Worcestor State University, Department of Physical and Earth Sciences 
with: Craig Borowiak, Haverford College; Emily Kawano US Solidarity Economy Network; Marianna Pavlovskaya, Hunter College; Maliha Safri, Drew University

Vibrant social and solidarity economies developing in South and Latin America, Europe, Asian and French Canadian North America respond to the dysfunctional nature contemporary economies by prioritizing social an ecological equity by means of social inclusion and cooperation.  Solidarity economies function by encouraging links between community groups and worker cooperatives, community based financial institutions, consumer cooperatives and other institutions and practices guided by shared ethical commitments.  Many of these solidarity economy spaces link “lower” and “middle” class people together in relations of mutual support. Through the practice of solidarity another economy emerges as the basis for other possible worlds.  While the US has many of these elements of solidarity economy (e.g. worker cooperatives, community based financial institutions, etc.) they are not studied or represented together in ways that might facilitate the practice of solidarity. The aim of this research project is to use multiple methodologies—surveys, in-depth interviews, quantitative impact assessments to highlight solidarity economies in Philadelphia, New York City,  and central and Western Massachusetts with the intention of expanding this mapping initiative to the whole US. This project has received funding from the National Science Foundation, grant number 1339748