Diversity in and Beyond Capitalism: Exploring Alternative Economic Practice for Social Justice

Abstract

The solidarity economy refers to a diverse set of cooperative and community-based economic practices ranging from cooperatives and credit unions to community gardens. It also refers to an anti-capitalist transnational social movement that aims to promote such practices as a way to transform the larger economy to make it better sustain vibrant communities and the environment. This symposium contributes to the current debate on diversity through alternative modes of organizing the economy for social justice. First, it explores how the governance of organizations in alternative economies creates novel opportunities for historically subordinated and marginalized groups in the capitalist economy. The inadequacy of capitalist institutions has become particularly visible in the wake of the economic crisis of 2008 and, more recently, in the light of the harsh consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting wealth inequality, globally. These disparities have most strongly affected low wage workers, often women and racial and ethnic minorities, long marginalized in organizations. Second, we consider successes and known problems with alternative economies organizations. We also explore their homogeneity, how problematic such homogeneity is, what can be done to address these and other issues that may hinder the goals toward equity, and the reduction of poverty of the Solidarity Economy. We bring together a diverse group of scholars from diverse disciplines based in Austria, Belgium, South Africa, and the United States. Diversity Beyond Capitalism? Exploring Vocabularies of Post-Capitalist Difference and Social Justice Presenter: Patrizia Zanoni; U. Hasselt Solidarity Economies and Racial Capitalism: Fault Lines, Border Zones, and Bulwarks Presenter: Craig Borowiak; Haverford College Prefiguring Equality? Exploring Discursive Stances Intersecting Diversity and Alternative Organizing Presenter: Alexander Fleischmann; WU Vienna U. of Economics and Business Shared Ownership in Worker-Owned Low-Pay Industries Presenter: Daphne Berry; U. of Hartford Presenter: Joy Leopold; Webster U. Stokvels in South Africa as Instruments of Community Building and “Credit” for Poor Households Presenter: Stella M. Nkomo; U. of Pretoria Presenter: Oyinkasola Sodiya; U. of Texas At Arlington Presenter: Spencer James Fraseur; U. of Texas At Arlington Presenter: Myrtle P. Bell; U. of Texas At Arlington