From personalization to institutionalization of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) at the United Nations. Between innovation and continuity of bureaucracy

Through the past decade, United Nations (UN) agencies have developed various initiatives in favor of the promotion of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE): the creation of the UNTFSSE in 2013, the adoption of a resolution in the International Labor Conference in June 2022, the annual ILO Academy on SSE, etc. The SSE transnational networks, which are still trying to legitimate the SSE at the international level, often quote these activities as strong institutional support to the SSE. However, this emphasis raises questions about the actual place of SSE concerns in the UN system. The hypothesis here is that, despite the big announcements, SSE (and the few agents who promote it) occupy(s) a fringe position within the UN agencies. Based on a set of semi-directive interviews with UN agents, this paper provides an opportunity to understand why, despite the absence of a general guideline, SSE has made its way into the agenda of several UN agencies. The analysis assumes that, before being an institutional interest, this appetence for SSE is the result of the commitment of several UN staff. The underlying objective is also to understand whether the emergence of SSE within the UN agencies has produced 'innovations' and 'changes' in the institutions. All this research work is facilitated by the author’s position as a Ph.D. student with a CIFRE agreement. This is a French specificity that enables her, in parallel to her research activities, to be a mission officer for SSE International Forum, one of the major networks of SSE actors on an international scale. This position, therefore, facilitates her access to the field and to the agents interviewed, whom she meets regularly in the context of her employed activities. In addition to the interviews conducted, this paper is therefore based on participant observation and analysis of archive documents.