Publications

From 2000 onwards, both in the EU and Mercosur, cooperatives have received more attention: the first specific public regional norm after 50 years in the former, a specialized regional public policy entity in the latter. While the challenges are shared by both regions, the frameworks of their debates and the solutions sought, as well as their alliances with other social movements, seem different. These differences are marked in a table in the final section of this paper. This chapter is a conference paper, peer reviewed, selected and published in France, focusing on the institutional framework and policies that are directly related to cooperatives, in the context of the most important regional events and policy in the European Union as well as in MERCOSUR.  The focus rests between 2000 and 2005.  First, the chapter deals with the institutional context surrounding cooperatives, and then a comparison of policies and norms within their respective regionalism. The differences observed globally and in stylized manner are shown in a table.

"Die Verbindung der SSÖ zum weltweiten Anliegen, Frieden zu erhalten erläutert Claudia Sánchez Bajo in ihrer aktuellen Pionierarbeit über Frieden und Genossenschaften, die sie interdisziplinär in drei Teilen aufgebaut hat.
 Der Ausgangspunkt ist Galtungs Unterscheidung zwischen negativem und positivem Frieden. Dann weist die Autorin auf wiederholte konzeptionelle Veränderungen des Friedensbegriffs im Verlauf der Geschichte und in
unterschiedlichen Kulturen hin. Sodann fragt Claudia Sánchez Bajo danach, welche „Perspektive für Friedensaufbau als fördernder, lebendiger, schützender, sicherer Raum und UUmgebung“ in der Forschung zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft aufgezeigt wird?  Schließlich „wird Friedensstiftung im Zusammenhang mit Genossenschaften und Solidarischer Ökonomie diskutiert, aufbauend auf Selbstverwaltung, Demokratie, Gleichheit, Solidarität und Bildung.“ Als Strategie eines Humanismus der Praxis, die an letzteres anknüpft, wird das Friedenspotential solidarischer Gesellschaften und Wirtschaften in Zeiten der Aufrüstung gegen Mensch und Natur zu einer wesentlichen Perspektive." By "Clarita Müller-Plantenberg, Verein zur Förderung der Solidarischen Ökonomie e.V." page 20

Translation into English: "The connection between SSE and the global concern for peace is explained by Claudia Sanchez Bajo in her current pioneering work on peace and cooperatives, which she has constructed interdisciplinary in three parts.  The starting point is Galtung's distinction between negative and positive peace.1555 The author then highlights the repeated conceptual changes of the concept of peace throughout history and in different cultures. Claudia Sánchez Bajo then asks what "perspective on peacebuilding as a nurturing, living, protective, and safe space and environment" is revealed in research on economics and society?  Finally, "peacemaking is addressed in the context of cooperatives and the solidarity economy, drawing on self-management, democracy, equality, solidarity and education." As a strategy for a humanism of practice that is articulated with the latter, the peace potential of solidarity societies and economies becomes an essential perspective in these times of buildup against humanity and nature." By "Clarita Müller-Plantenberg, Verein zur Förderung der Solidarischen Ökonomie e.V." page 20

Contribution to Europäisches Colloquium in der Stiftung Adam von Trott, Imshausen e.V., organized and coordinated by Prof. Dr. Clarita Müller-Plantenberg. She also translated my text from German into English.

Photos under copyright, exhibition in Brussels 2009. Wenchuan, ABA, Sichuan, China. In particular photos of the Qiang people.

The book offers a theoretical and comparative analysis of the role of national business actors as representatives of, and the articulated voice for, business' demands and interests, concerning the trilateral attempt at regional integration and co-operation called Group of Three (G-3) among Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. Since January 1995, the G-3 is not only a free trade area but also a customs union in progress. The author's approach draws from several theoretical streams and case studies, but in particular from neo-functionalism (with Haas as its most representative author), with the aim of explaining the link between (1) the predominant economic ideas and interests of both business and governments in each country, and (2) the origin, negotiations, approval and implementation of the treaty that established the G-3 in June 1994. Primary sources consist of business actors' discourses on RI and a few personal interviews, supported by a rich bibliographical research as secondary source. Specifically, the book concentrates on business associations of national scope and their relationship with the national governments, and on their overall support or rejection of the various regional integration (RI) alternatives, all embedded in the history of each country's economic development.

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.

During the 1990s, Argentine labour underwent dramatic changes at the national level, under the uninterrupted government of a man and a political party that seemed to be its main supporters, apparently managing to articulate a viable type of capitalism combined with a democratic regime. As Novaro (1999: 14) argues, "there has been little recognition of the novelty produced by the politics of these years...whether good or bad," and there is a need to construct a historical vision of the 1990s. It is important to focus on labor, as it has not received as much attention as other areas of study (such as government, business, or civil society). In this chapter, I propose to explore two complementary hypotheses regarding the prospects for institutionalizing a new regulatory framework for work in the early twenty-first century.  The two hypotheses are:

1) "Institutionalized labor (i.e., unions and labor organizations) during the 1990s was constrained in both its actions and discourse by three main contradictions."
2) "The second hypothesis, based on Weller's statement, is that: 'The institutionalization of labor played an important role in the post-war development model...in Latin America.... With the crisis of this model, many of its patterns of regulation of production and distribution have lost their strength, among them those of the labor market... The current debate on the reforms of Latin American labor institutions must be undertaken in the context of the current transformation of the development model... It can be said that the countries of the region, like other countries in the world, are in a process of research in which many and varied actors are participating. This process is taking place at different levels, from the enterprise to national legislation and even at the international level, and has not yet found answers to some key questions regarding a new regulation of the labor market (Weller, 1998..."

"While the Mercosur states have remained attached to a Westphalian image (Mittelman, 1996: 197), regional networks may provide the necessary information and coordination in policy-making that the former cannot. Business actors' participation has taken place to the extent described in this paper partly because of the lack of mechanisms for representation and participation in policy-making, whether a supra-national bureaucracy or a regional parliament. The question that lies ahead is whether Mercosur's "open regionalism" should limit its "openness" to the economic sphere, or whether extend it to involve the regional population at large. This question bears a systemic implication, for Mercosur's long-term sustainability rests on its legitimacy and the broader support and involvement of society."

The text delves into positive peace and the potential contributions by civil society and enterprise, in particular cooperative enterprises. "This issue focuses on solidarity economy, or economic approaches that are developing as an alternative to hegemonic capitalism through cooperatives and other innovative democratic and participatory practices. Solidarity economies have been spreading around the world for at least four decades, especially in Latin American and Asian countries, while in Slovenia the resurgence of solidarity economies is mainly visible in the last decade. The authors of the current issue of ČKZ tackle the definition of the concept (solidarity economies versus social economy) through examples of good practices and on the basis of theoretical and historical reflections on solidarity economies, and highlight those aspects and advantages that have been (accidentally or deliberately) omitted, ignored, misinterpreted and distorted. In doing so, they answer the fundamental question: who is driving the solidarity economies agenda today and why?"

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

The article reviews the relation between two regional integration arrangements, the European Union and Mercosur, under three aspects: trade and investment, international negotiations and the institutional dimension. Tracing the agenda and issues dealt with between the two, leading to a project of a transatlantic free trade area, reveals that trade issues, one of two 'pillars' of reference, are important. However, the most influential results have stemmed so far from the other 'pillar', the political one. These results may be seen in the EU's role as a 'road map' for Mercosur's institutional trajectory, and second, as a signal for the private sector in furthering industrial networks within the ongoing world economic restructuring. The objective, thus, is to highlight how the relationship may interact with two encompassing processes: the shaping of regionalism/s, in particular the Mercosur case, and the so-called globalisation process.

The chapter gives an overview of the EU policy for social cohesion and regional development, in order to "look at some initiatives in two European countries and briefly countries and very briefly refer to the context of how these initiatives came about and these initiatives came about and developed.  The initiatives presented here  initiatives presented here did not originate at the European level but at the local level. They are historical constructions from the bottom up. Over time, these initiatives have grown and become significant players in the development of their  municipal and regional economies."

The book is the product of the International Summer School "Solidarity Economy in Europe: Farms and Regional Development", planned jointly by the university, the trade unions and churches in Northern Hesse, came about after a joint trip to Italy. Representatives from cooperatives, counties and universities were then invited to our joint summer school to learn from them and show them examples in our region.

PRAHA SOCIAL ECONOMY 2002 ENLARGING THE SOCIAL ECONOMY. Preparatory Dossier, Coordinated by Bruno Roelants, CECOP July 2002.

CONTENTS : 1. Introduction

2. A basic overview of the social economy  by Bruno Roelants and Claudia Sanchez Bajo
2.1. A distinctive form of entrepreneurship
2.2. The function and contributions of the social economy
2.3. Key policy issues
A. Information and meso-level support structures
B. Recognition, institutionalisation and standardisation of the social economy

In December 2009, Fedore Cooperative (Fedore), a worker cooperative in a major city in Western Canada, was at a critical juncture. A general meeting comprising all members had been convened to resolve conflicts that had been brewing for some time and threatening the survival of the business. The members were inspired by the ideals of participation and equality, and had always made decisions based on consensus. Unfortunately, they had become deeply split over the poor financial performance of the business. There was a fundamental disagreement between two influential members about how to solve their problem. The situation had stalled their cooperative decision-making process, and Fedore’s future was at risk. The question was how to present the issues so that Fedore’s members could come to a consensus about how to work their way through the problem and find a solution.

This case is suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate courses on cooperative studies, general business studies, and courses related to the social economy, social enterprises, and business management. Instructors can focus on one or more of the following key learning objectives in this case:

• Understand the basics of the cooperative model of business organization, and how it differs from other business forms.
• Recognize, specifically, what a worker cooperative is and the importance of organizational fit with member values.
• Consider decision making in a collaborative environment, including how facilitation and mediation can help resolve group conflicts.
• Analyze business diversification and the challenges for organizations that are contemplating diversification.

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)."

"The financial crisis is destroying wealth but is also a remarkable opportunity to uncover the ways by which debt can be used to regulate the economic system. This book uses four case studies of cooperatives to give an in-depth analysis on how they have braved the crisis and continued to generate wealth."

The document uploaded explain the thrust of the book, based on originl research, is composed of the slides by  Claudia Sanchez Bajo (c) presented at the Berlin Solikon conference in 2015. We had the pleasure and honour to have Prof Dr Paul Singer from Brazil and Prof Dr Clarita Mueller-Plantenberg among us for the presentation and discussion.

Reviews:

'This elegant and deeply-informed inquiry weaves together several themes, each significant in itself, even more so as their relations are developed: the deep and persistent crises of capitalism, in the current phase highly financialized, and the fundamental issue of decision-making in social and economic institutions, with special attention to the elaborate growth of cooperatives of many varieties, the forms they have taken, the problems they face, and their great promise in overcoming economic crises, social malaise, and democratic dysfunction.' - Professor Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

'Capital and the Debt Trap combines a searing critique of the unstable debt- and-profit driven system that came close to final collapse in the Great Crisis with a fine portrait of the modern cooperative alternative that exists today in Mexico, Canada, France and Spain. Are these perhaps the small creatures that will survive and flourish after the great dinosaurs are gone? Let's hope so.' - James K. Galbraith, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and University of Texas at Austin

'This book is simply a masterpiece on cooperativism for the xxi century. It outstandingly demonstrates why cooperatives are more resilient to the crisis and avoid falling into the dept trap and its implacable cohort of inhuman effects. A decisive contribution not only to economic democracy but also to Democracy as a political system.' - Yves Cabannes, University College London

'This is a timely and important book which both analyses current economic turmoil and shows how the crisis may foment new and more co-operative forms of enterprise. Anyone interested in advancing the cause of participatory ownership as one means of guarding against recurrent crises should read this book.' George Irvin, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

'This book presents a thoughtful and exciting consideration of the roles cooperatives can play and should be expected to play today . . . It deserves to be widely read and discussed within and across the boundaries that have long divided cooperative proponents and the general public.' Ian MacPherson, University of Victoria, Canada

'This book is a major step forward in understanding the working of co-operative economies. Its appearance could hardly have been more timely. At a point when the global financial system and the models of economic governance have been thrown into question, it shows how it is that co-operative financial systems are more crisis resistant than contemporary private banking, and how finance can be structured to service long term local and industrial growth rather than subject it to the imperative of short term profitability. More generally, the authors describe an architecture of co-operative governance that has not only been innovative and resilient but is particularly well suited to any post crisis world that is reshaped round multi stakeholder engagement.' - Robin Murray, LSE Global Governance and author of Co-operation in the Age of Google.

'This study on the current global crisis of capitalism is a surprising and fascinating analysis of the transformation that the current dominant world mode of production has gone through. The great merit of the book is to indicate the path to this change with great accuracy and richness of data. That is, the economy needs to return to the realm of the stakeholders. It is difficult to emphasize the appropriateness and importance of this work.' Paul Singer, University of São Paulo and Secretary of State for the Solidarity Economy of Brazil.

We have been falsely made to believe that competition is the way nature and society work. However, greed and competition are dis-values imposed by corporate rule. Both nature and society work on the principles of co-operation. In Capital and the Debt Trap - Learning from Cooperatives in the Global Crisis Bruno Roelants and Claudia Sanchez Bajo show us how an economy based on co-operation can address the deep crisis we face.' - Vandana Shiva, Navdanya/Research Foundation for Science Technology & Ecology, New Delhi.

This is part of a series of think pieces by scholars and practitioners working on a broad range of issues within the field of Social and Solidarity Economy. The series is being published in conjunction with the UNRISD conference “Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy”. The conference took place on 6-8 May 2013 in collaboration with the International Labour Organization and the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service.

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)