The Hansalim Life Movement and new cooperativism in South Korea

Abstract

The concept of New Cooperativism (NC) marks a shift in thinking and practice among a growing number of academics and activists seeking to draw the global co-operative movement back to its roots in the values of mutual solidarity and resistance against oppression. Crucially, it moves the debate beyond economic arguments for co-operative models to introduce a more holistic perspective which explores the political, ecological, social, and ethical implications of more inclusive forms of co‑operation. Until now, however, the literature on NC has focused on its emergence in North America, Europe, and South America since the 1970s. This article argues that the Hansalim Life Movement shares many of the values and characteristics of NC. Hansalim’s growth into a large multi-stakeholder federation of producer and consumer co-operatives gives them unique insights into the opportunities and challenges of implementing NC values in practice. To demonstrate the alignment of Hansalim with the emerging concept of NC, I present a re-framing of NC across four dimensions which forms the basis of a brief outline of Hansalim’s values, structure, and activities. These are: purpose, ethic, political-economic orientation, and governance. I conclude by suggesting four lines of enquiry through which to enrich the concept of NC.