Produktivgenossenschaften und solidarische Ökonomie als Forschungs- und Praxisfeld

Claims that within the existing capitalist system, it is possible to practise alternative forms of production and organisation of labour continue to exist. Under the label of the solidarity economy one can even notice a recent intensification of discussions on worker cooperatives in Germany, as well as a slightly increasing number of them. To date the public, political and academic echo has been scarce, but these approaches may become more prominent if the discussions on economic democracy and alternatives to the existing economic system deepen and amplify, especially in the light of the current crisis. At the same time it remains unclear what can be expected from worker cooperatives and other forms of the solidarity economy today. Up to now academic research has rather neglected the reflection on the objectives, possibilities and problems of these projects: too few investigations have been conducted focusing on the way the economic survival of these cooperatives in a market economy is mediated with the principles of solidarity, democracy and the orientation towards the user value of products and services. Theoretical and empirical insights could support the actors as well as widening the perspective of the sociology of work and the debate on economic democracy.