Publications

This study attempts at analysing the interrelation between economics and politics in the integration process during the different historical periods, and the periods of economic integration, cooperation and dialogue, and their impacts on the process of regional integration. Secondly, it deals with the formulation and implementation of the Programme of Integration and Cooperation since 1985, and finally, the relationship between democracy and integration. The main objective is to identify the limits and obstacles in a process whose central aim is to create effective, stable and symmetrical interdependencies among the countries in the subregion. (Page 3)

Many countries are facing repeated cycles of violence (World Bank, 2011; Walter, 2010), with more than 68 million people forcibly displaced worldwide. In a quest for sustainable peace, a growing interest can be observed regarding how civil society and business can bring about peace. Cooperatives blend association and enterprise with significant potential for peace (MacPherson and Paz 2015; Joy and MacPherson 2007). As bottom-up initiatives, they provide solutions focused at the local level offering learning and practicing nonviolent interaction (Wanyama 2014; Sentama 2009; Havers 2007) and providing decent jobs and livelihoods (Date-Bah ed. 2003). The key word being supply, they are mainly seen as post-conflict community-based organizations (CBOs) that provide for basic human needs, gather labour, demobilize soldiers, and restart agriculture and services. Field observations, however, lend to a broader idea of how cooperatives contribute to positive peacebuilding by increasing trust and agency, raising empowerment, equality and empathy, while managing resources through a renewed notion of the commons (Ostrom 1990), even though challenges come as development takes place. Food security linked to SDG 2 can and need to be enhanced on this basis. The sample of visited cooperatives calls for further research.

Keywords: Cooperatives, Peacebuilding, Rwanda, sustainable development, sustainable livelihoods

This conference paper is an step in the ongoing effort to link theory to real life experience, practice and cases,  providing solutions to the migrant crisis. In theory, Ulrich Beck's world risk society, cosmopolitan solidarity and new reflexivity about late modernity, together with other approaches argued and built by interviewees themselves, provide the basis to focus on real examples of collective action in both developed and developing countries. The goal is to contribute to the theory of agency and of geographies of care, to build the concept of "reflexive agency". Paper presented at the EADI ISS 2021 Conference, Seed Panel 89 "Migrant struggles for social justice".

Presentation to the SEPS, Ecuador, Superintendencia de Economia Popular y Solidaria, on inclusive value chains, comparing various cases in the coffee sector in Guatemala. Research was originally done with Bruno Silvestre in 2014, presented at CASC in 2014 and published in Spanish in 2016. After which I continue working on coffee, cooperatives and inclusive development.

From the book description, that applies to the chapter: "The book is unique in tracing the historical connection between cooperatives and the world of work since the end of the First World War and the recent shifts and restructuring in enterprise and the workplace. It presents a redefinition of the very concept of work, focusing on organizational innovation. This book is published in recognition of 100 years of the International Labour Organization, and gathers together research from leading experts who were brought together at an event co-hosted by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO)."

Slides presentation at the ILO - ICA Joint Conference 2019 presenting the book 'Cooperatives and the future of work', Geneva. Observe carefully the archival photos taken at the ILO Archive, in slides 12 and 13. Cooperatives had equal status than trade unions and other businesses. They even had more personnel. This took place during Albert Thomas' presidency and was the original tripartite structure. The slides and the book chapter shows the evolution of the concepts of 'work' and of 'cooperative' along the 100 Years of the International Labour Organization.

The article focuses on the possible contribution of cooperatives to peace building. In the first part it refers to the theoretical bases of peace studies and their link with cooperatives, while in the second part it presents a chronological overview of the projection and implementation of cooperatives within the peace agreement in Colombia. The paper attempts to establish a link between the theory of peace studies and the implementation of the ECOMUN in order to conclude that there is a link and  that conceptual questions remain open in its policy,  important to consider so that the hopes of the peace agreement are fully realized. Key words: peace building, cooperatives, Colombia.

This glossary of terms in Spanish, English and French has been prepared for the X Meeting of the Latin American Network of Researchers on Cooperatives. It is expected to be expanded at a later date and fills a gap in this type of reference texts for those who must write in several languages.

Este glosario de términos sobre cooperativas castellano — inglés – francés ha sido
preparado para el X Encuentro de la Red Latinoamericana de Investigadores en
Cooperativismo. Se espera ampliarlo posteriormente y cubre un vacío en este tipo de textos de referencia para quienes deben escribir en varios idiomas.