Introduction to the social and solidarity economy (SSE) field of research

The social and solidarity economy (SSE) has long been present across the world. But it is only recently that it achieved formal recognition at the international level. In recent years, in the face of economic, social, and ecological crises, the SSE gained attention for its potential to align the economy with the needs of humans and nature. In this introduction, we give an overview of what the SSE refers to and explain how the present volume contributes to understanding it. We situate this work with regard to a scoping review of recent publications, showing the increasing interest of a dynamic community of scholars in the SSE. We then present the 12 chapters of the volume, grouped into three parts, respectively seeking to (1) define the field; (2) investigate developmental and organizational issues; and (3) examine different approaches to understanding the SSE. We conclude by addressing two issues for future research.