Conference details

The second International CIRIEC Research Conference on the Social Economy will provide a forum for international academic exchange, discussion and dissemination of research in various areas and subjects related to the social economy.

The conference is organised by CIRIEC Scandinavia (the Swedish Institute for Social Economy), CIRIEC International, Mid Sweden University and the Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden region. The partners are closely working together in order to create an exceptional forum for knowledge exchange, contributing to the development of international networks and partnerships.

The conference is sponsored by: CIRIEC International, Mid Sweden University and the Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden region. (listing to be updated). Each of these groups is committed to facilitating and promoting the collection of information, scientific research, and the publication of works on the not-for-profit economy, cooperatives, mutuals, non-profit organizations, worker-run businesses, and related topics.

General Info

2nd International CIRIEC Research Conference on the Social Economy

The Social Economy in a world facing a global crisis

October 1-2, 2009 in Östersund, Sweden

The world is undergoing rapid and extensive changes associated with globalization, conflicting ideas about the roles of the State and the reconfiguration of communities. The financial crisis that was followed by market decline and the fear of a world wide recession demonstrated the vulnerability and interlinkage of the global market and its national economies. In this context of decreasing markets, the role of Social and Public Economy is more of interest in the public discussion.
The Social Economy contribution to local and regional sustainable development, to the welfare system and to entrepreneurship and jobcreation becomes more evident and important. Social Economy in this context is made of co-operatives, mutuals, non-profit organisations like associations and foundations and contains several approaches that can be of use to individuals in local communities, social entrepreneurs, policy makers, community activists and researchers.

The 2nd International CIRIEC Research Conference will focus on the developments within the theme
The Social Economy in a world facing a global crisis
During the two conference days, researchers and practitioners from different parts of the world will come together and create new knowledge and awareness on different Social Economy models e.g. in Eastern Europe and Russia, in Africa, North and South America, Asia or other world regions, its relation towards social capital, regional development, social innovation, community and social entrepreneurship.

This conference follows the great success of the 1st International CIRIEC Research Conference on Social Economy in Victoria, Canada, 2007.

The Mid Sweden University, the City of Östersund, SISE/CIRIEC-Scandinavia and CIRIEC International invite you to participate and present the most recent developments within the international research on Social Economy.

Organisers of the conference

The 2nd International CIRIEC Research Conference on the Social Economy will be jointly organised by the Swedish Institute for Social Economy (CIRIEC-Scandinavia), Mid Sweden University , CIRIEC International and the Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden region, together with the support of the Central bank of Sweden, Mid Sweden University, the Municipality of Östersund, Jämtland Administrative County Board and Jämtlands County Council.

Objectives of the International CIRIEC Research Conference 2009

  • Increase internationally the scientific knowledge and recognition of the Social Economy

  • Strengthen and encourage participatory research between researchers and practitioners in the Social Economy

  • Provide researchers, practitioners and governments the opportunity to exchange knowledge and viewpoints on the Social Economy in different national contexts

Researchers, government representatives, public sector representatives and professionals, working in the Social Economy sector are invited to participate in the conference.

General Structure of the conference

The conference is structured around three axes:

  1. Two Plenary sessions
  2. Four sessions with 8 parallel workshops each
  3. Poster presentations

Dedicated space will be arranged for displaying posters of the conference participants and their organisations.

Thematic areas of the conference

1. Social Economy plurality in entrepreneurial forms

  • Community entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurs
  • A catalyzer for social cohesion and community development in local areas
  • Social economy entrepreneurship vis-a-vis global energy needs and climate change

2. The Social Economy and Social capital

  • Regional and local development by entrepreneurship and social capital
  • Instruments and research regarding social capital and its social and economic impact on development
  • Human resources for strengthening networking and social integration

3. The Social Economy - creating employment and environmental, social and economic sustainability

  • Combatting unemployment and discrimination
  • Environment protection and sustainable development
  • Emerging sectors in sustainable production and services

4. The Social Economy and governance

  • Social responsibility and quality standards
  • Management and participatory governance
  • Competition and respect of social economy identity

5. The Social Economy facing the world financial crisis

  • Ecobanking and microcredit systems for social economy enterprises
  • Community banking and new social banking
  • The Co-operative banking system - impact of the financial crisis

6. The Social Economy and new public policies

  • Interaction and partnerships with public and private actors
  • Social innovation and its impact on regions and territories
  • New opportunities after the crisis

7. Social economy development in different world regions

  • Renaissance of Social Economy in the new EU Member States and Russia
  • Social economy in Africa - actors, projects and aid policies
  • Social economy in South America, its role for employment and social welfare
  • Developments in the Social Economy sector in Asian countries

8. Is there a new Nordic model of Social economy arising?

  • Contribution of the Nordic (Baltic) model of Social economy to developments in the new European Member States, Eastern Europe and Russia?
  • Economic development and competitiveness?
  • Development and impact on the welfare state?

It is important to include the gender perspective in all the different themes. The scientific committee will take that into consideration in the evaluation of abstracts.

Call for papers

The 2nd International CIRIEC Research Conference will focus on the developments within the theme “The Social Economy in a world facing a global crisis”.

During the two conference days, researchers and practitioners from different parts of the world will come together and create new knowledge and awareness on different Social Economy models e.g. in Eastern Europe and Russia, in Africa, North and South America, Asia or other world regions, its relation towards social capital, regional development, social innovation, community and social entrepreneurship.

The organisers invite researchers from universities, specialist research centres and practitioners from the Social Economy to take part in the conference and submit abstract proposals relevant to the thematic streams of the event.

The abstracts should be between 250 and 500 words long and include a bibliography. Abstracts shall be submitted preferably in English until 2009/02/15 in order to simplify the work and selection procedure for the Scientific Committee. However optionally we will accept them as well in French, Spanish or German. The abstract shall be submitted by uploading (copy and paste) on the following webpage.

Please find enclosed the call for papers in EN/DE/ES/FR with detailed information on the conference streams and on how to submit your abstracts.

Important dates & contact info

Important dates

01/03/2009 Deadline for submission of abstracts
01/06/2009 Notification of acceptance of abstracts
30/06/2009 Deadline for discounted registration
01/09/2009 Deadline for submission of papers for publication
30/09/2009 Registration and welcome reception
01/10/2009 First conference day
02/10/2009 Second conference day

(to be updated with the additional program of events)

Information contact

For further information on registration, travel, social events, etc. please contact:

Östersund Turism and Conferences Office
Rådhusgatan 44
SE-83182 Östersund, Sweden
Tel. +46 63 144010 Fax: +46 63 127055
e-mail: kongress@ostersund.se
Web: http://www.kongress.ostersund.se

Conference administration

Jane Magnusson and Thomas Fröbel

SISE/CIRIEC-Scandinavia
Kunskapens väg 1, hus P
SE-83133 Östersund
Tel. +46 (0)8 - 51970840
email: seconf2009@socek.se

Guidelines for Submissions and Presentations

Please note: If you are presenting a poster, you must also submit the paper upon which that poster is based. Completed posters are expected to be brought to the conference.

You will find hereunder:

The guidelines for paper submissions

The guidelines for poster presentations

We will soon publish the guidelines for oral presentations.

Pre-Conference Tour

For those of you who are interested to gain an understanding of social economy organisations, initiatives and projects in the region of Jämtland, we are pleased to offer 2 interesting thematic information tours starting in Östersund to the surrounding villages. The study tours will be organised the 29 and 30 September 2009.

Program 1

(booking fee: 50 €; ! min. 15 participants)

Local and regional development and social entrepreneurship

Tuesday 29 Sept - Campus Mid Sweden University

13.00 - 16.00

13.00 - 14.00 The Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden Region. Location: Mid Sweden University, Ljushallen, House P

Presentation of the Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden Region and its connection to the Regional Development Strategy.

14.00 - 15.00 Local development and social entrepreneurship. Location: Mid Sweden University, Ljushallen, House P

Presentation of local social cooperatives and local development groups.

15.00 - 16.00 Popular adult education. Location: Mid Sweden University, House P, Bävern. Presentation about life long learning activities and working methods.

Wednesday 30 September - study tour

09.00 - 15.30

09.00 - 09.45 The local office in Lit. Location: Mid Sweden University, House P, Room Bävern.

Ingrid Krylén from the local office in Lit presents its activities and solutions for local service provision in the village of Lit.

10.00 - 15.30 Study visit to Fjällbete

[inline:1:3=Fjällbete in the Åre valley] We go by bus to Fjällbete. The bus leaves from House P at 10.00.

Acting as a societal entrepreneur Fjällbete tries managing the task of finding a prosperous way down. Join us and use “Fjällbete” and your own agenda as a platform for inspiring discussions.

We’ll meet in a pasture where a small group of Fjällbete’s about 1000 sheep and lambs are grazing. While meeting with the sheep, Fjällbete will introduce itself as a company trying to be the change it wants to see. Fjällbete is acting by trying to cultivate a vision through practical business of local food-production and consumtion, life long learning, consulting, locally mobilized finances, authentic experiences for our gests, empowering events, a deeper applied idea of local democracy etc. This is all about personal and professional business-relations able to secure a good “glocal” living. Lunch is served at Fjällsätra.

On the way back to Östersund if there is time enough we make a stop for coffee at Kretsloppshuset in Mörsil.




Program 2

(booking fee: 50 €; ! min. 15 participants)

Social enterprises and social services

Tuesday 29 Sept - study tour

13.00 - approx. 18.00

13.00-13.45 Information from Bikupan nursery school co-operative. Location: Mid Sweden University, House P, Room Bävern.

[inline:3:3=The Beehive co-op] Information from the nursery school cooperative “The Beehive” in Östersund. In 1992 a group of parents started the cooperative The Beehive. Their ambition was to set up a nursery school for their children with a meaningful content and an ecological perspective. Parents and nursery staff agreed upon using the Reggio Emilia pedagogics. The Beehive also takes part in an interesting Interreg project between Sweden and Norway. Anna-Lena Bergman and Eleonor Franzén tell us about the Beehive.





13.45 - 14.30 Information about Bygdens framtid Location: Mid Sweden University, House P, Room Bävern.

[inline:5:3=Bygdens framtid] is a political independant association, which works for positive development in the local area. Bygdens framtid was this year awarded as the cooperative of the year by Coompanion.





14.30 - 18.00 Study visit to Brännagården retirement cooperative in Högarna

[inline:4:3=Brännagården retirement co-op] We go by bus to Brännagården. The bus leaves from House P at Campus.

Brännagården retirement cooperative takes care of home service and medical care to elderly people living in Högarna village. The cooperative owns a house with nine apartments that are both rented by the public municipality and by elderly persons who wish to live there in community. Includes coffee break.


Wednesday 30 September - Campus Mid Sweden University, P-house, Ljushallen.

09.00 - 12.00

The Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden Region

Presentation of the Platform for Social Economy in the Mid-Sweden Region and its connection to the Regional Development Strategy.

The system of primary health care in Jämtland

Information about the primary health care system and presentation of the cooperative health care centre in Offerdal.

Social entrepreneurship in the region of Jämtland

Presentation and overview about its stakeholders and initiatives.

Other examples of attractions related to social economy

Following we would like to present 2 more organisations that you may want to visit during your stay in Östersund (not included in the pre-conference tour!). Please consult the Östersund tourist office in case of interest.

Kretsloppshuset in Mörsil

Kretsloppshuset (literally, the Circle of Life House) is the result of years of dedicated work to create an organic, environmentally-sound establishment in rural northern Sweden. Small-scale agriculture takes place side-by-side with a variety of other activities, all aimed at providing inspiration for a more sustainable lifestyle. The house is run by enthusiastic employees and owned by a 40 member co-operative, which is divided into various working groups; for example, poultry management, gardening, shop/café, guided tours and administration.

Eldrimner Resource Centre in Ås

Visit Eldrimner, a national small-scale resource centre of food handicraft. Eldrimner assists food craftsmen in the start and development of companies. Small-scale food handicraft careful processing of basically local raw materials, in a small scale and often affiliated with the farm. Work is carried out without unnecessary additives with natural processes where man and hand is present during the entire production chain. The small-scale food handicraft creates unique products with taste, quality and identity that industry can not create.

Map of the conference site

The conference is hosted by Mid Sweden University in Östersund

[inline:2:3=Campus at Mid Sweden University in Östersund]

You will find the map for download beneath.