The article contributes to sustainability transition research by indicating the significance of transformative grassroots innovations in the context of social work research. We introduce the integrative concept of ecosocial innovation in order to demonstrate how grassroots innovations can successfully combine social, ecological and economic aspects of a sustainability transition. By ecosocial innovations, we refer to social innovations with a strong ecological orientation (e.g., recycling workshops, urban gardening, participatory unemployment projects and new local economies). The data consists of 50 examples of ecosocial innovations in Finland, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK. We investigate how ecosocial innovations interconnect ecological, economic and social goals and study the factors of their integrative crucial capacity. On the basis of qualitative data analysis and thematic categorisation of ecosocial innovations, we identify five integrative practices: diversity of activities, successful networking, addressing new livelihood, focus on food and explicit conceptual work on sustainability. Very often these integrative practices emerge as pragmatic solutions to local needs. For the participants, the ecosocial innovations can be relevant sources for new livelihood and wellbeing beyond the conventional labour market. Foremost, ecosocial innovations are valuable as forerunners for sustainability transition in practice.
Labour market and unemployment policies in particular are rarely connected to issues of environmental sustainability. In the present article, the link is examined by focusing on ecosocial innovations in four European countries – Finland, Germany, Belgium and Italy. These innovations are small-scale associations, cooperatives or organizations that create new integrative practices combining both social and environmental goals. By asking how their social practices are linked with labour market and unemployment policies, we explore the scope for new ecosocial policies. The results of this cross-national case study lead to three lessons to be learnt for a future ecosocial welfare state: at the sectoral level, organizational level and individual level. In summary, many valuable ideas, instruments and programmes towards sustainability already exist in the field, but they are not yet integrated in the current labour market and unemployment policies.
Social work research and practice that address environmental sustainability have already become prominent. However, a change in unsustainable economic structures is also urgently needed. This study explored emerging opportunities in theory and practice for a sustainable economy that are relevant to the aims of social work. As practical examples, our study concerns ‘ecosocial innovations’, i.e., social innovations that combine ecological and social goals. We analysed how these grassroots innovations in the field of social work reflect crucial shared conceptions of alternative economies. The qualitative data set comprised of 50 ecosocial innovations and six case studies in five European countries. The findings show a rich diversity of ecosocial innovations and describe how they reframe economic purposes, value economic diversity and democratise the economy. We suggest that social work might consider these practices as opportunities for collaboration, especially regarding work with people on the margins of the labour market.
Abstract:The paper first introduces the concept of ecosocial innovations. These are local organizations embedded in social and solidarity economy, which combine ecological and social challenges in their work. They are successful models of how to operationalize sustainability. Based on a cross-national, multi-case study with a social work background, the paper aims at providing insights about the work and significance of ecosocial innovations. Drawn from interview material collected in four countries within selected ecosocial innovations, seven themes as common characteristics of these local actors are presented. One trait of ecosocial innovations is a creative mix of paid work, voluntary engagement, and subsidized employment in their activities. This mix is not only a compromise due to a lack of resources, but it also acknowledges the interconnectedness of well-being and sustainable social practices. The paper concludes with a summary of the main results and an outlook of the potential of ecosocial innovations for the future. They could for example serve as models for an ecological social work Keys-Words: Ecosocial innovations, social and solidarity economy, sustainability, social work Resumo: Este artigo apresenta o conceito de inovações eco-sociais. Conceito que remete para as organizações locais ligadas à economia social e solidária cuja intervenção não deixa de atender aos desafios sociais e ecológicos, podendo ser vistos como modelos de sucesso na operacionalização da sustentabilidade. Baseado num estudo comparativo multi-caso internacional, a partir de uma abordagem do Serviço Social, o artigo procura mostrar o trabalho desenvolvido nestas iniciativas, salientando a importância das mesmas. Entrevistas recolhidas junto dos atores locais em quatro países permitiram identificar sete características comuns às diferentes experiências estudadas. Destaca-se a identificação de um padrão comum no funcionamento destas inovações eco-sociais: uma criativa fusão de trabalho assalariado, voluntariado e emprego subvencionado. Esta combinação não é resultado, apenas, de compromissos motivados pela falta recursos, mas, também, da adoção de práticas sociais sustentáveis e de bem-estar. O artigo termina com um resumo das principais conclusões e um sobrevoar do potencial que as inovações eco-sociais apresentam para o futuro, podendo, por exemplo, fornecer modelos para um serviço social ecológico. Palavras-Chave: Inovações eco-sociais, economia social e solidária, sustentabilidade, serviço social
Social human rights have rarely been given attention in social work research or comparative studies on welfare states. The paper aims at filling the gap by analysing the conception of human beings inherent in human rights and in unemployment policy documents in Germany and Finland. Its focus lies on the right to social security, a central norm of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The main question is what impact does the right to social security have on socio-political action in Germany and Finland. The results of the analysis, which was based on the objective hermeneutics, revealed a structural similarity between the conceptions of human beings in both countries. Unemployed people are labelled as deficient and potentially in need of educational measures. Their autonomy is curtailed, sometimes severely. In this sense, the right to social security has hardly any impact. The social work profession in theory and practice should use human rights as a tool against these new forms of oppression.
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