STREAM 22: RURAL SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL INNOVATION

Description

It is fashionable to suggest that citizens will take greater responsibility for organising services traditionally delivered by the state with communities, neighbourhood groups and community organisations doing things ‘for themselves’ (Markantoni, et al., 2018). International governments have supported social enterprise through direct funding, business support and, increasingly, through direct procurement of goods and services (Mazzei, 2021). Although most research attention has focused on social enterprise in urban contexts, interest in rural social entrepreneurship among academics is also growing with some journals, including Journal of Rural Studies, dedicating special issues to describe this emergent yet important for policy and practice theme (Steiner et al., 2019). It is argued that social enterprise can help rural communities to respond to change and, through social innovation, become more resilient (Kelly et al., 2019). While some rural social enterprises address the needs caused by socio-economic and political changes such as withdraw of some public and private services (Steiner et al., 2021), other are more proactive and skilfully utilise available resources to enhance local development and introduce innovation (Macaulay et al., 2021; Steiner and Teasdale, 2018).

The perception of policymakers is that the role of social entrepreneurship could be even greater, particularly in terms of delivery of local services. However, are expectations towards rural social enterprise realistic? On one hand, characteristics of rural locations, such as social cohesion and mutual knowledge, might present a suitable nurturing ground for social enterprise. On the other hand, however, the nature of rurality (e.g. sparsely populated areas, high cost of service provision) also raises concerns. This panel session seeks to understand the importance of context when enacting social entrepreneurship in rural areas.

We welcome articles situated within the broad area of Rural Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise. Papers might focus on, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Social Entrepreneurship as a way to enhance sustainable rural development 

• Contribution of social enterprises to rural community resilience

• The role of social enterprises in rural service co-production

• Rural social enterprise – cure or threat to public service withdraw?

• Opportunities and challenges for social enterprises delivering rural services

• Rural social entrepreneurship – necessity or luxury?

References

Kelly, D, Steiner, A, Mazzei, M. and Baker, R. (2019) Filling a void? The role of social enterprise in addressing social isolation and loneliness in rural communities. Journal of Rural Studies, 70, 225-236; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.01.024

Macaulay, B., McHugh, N. and Steiner, A. (2021) Public perspectives on health improvement within a remote-rural island community. Health Expectations, 24; 1291-1304; 10.1111/hex.13260

Markantoni, M., Steiner, A., Meador, E. and Farmer, J. (2018) Do community empowerment and enabling state policies work in practice? Insights from a community development intervention in rural Scotland. Geoforum, 97, 142-154; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2018.10.022 

Mazzei, M (2021) What about efficiency? Exploring perceptions of current social enterprise support provision in Scotland. Geoforum, 118, 38-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.12.002

Steiner, A. and Teasdale, S. (2018) Unlocking the potential of rural Social Enterprise. Journal of Rural Studies, 70, 144-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.12.021

Steiner, A., Calò, F. and Shucksmith, M. (2021) Rurality and social innovation processes and outcomes: a realist evaluation of rural social enterprise activities. Journal of Rural Studies; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.04.006.

Steiner, A., Farmer, J. and Bosworth, G. (2019) Rural social enterprise – evidence to date, and a research agenda. Journal of Rural Studies, 70, 139-145; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.08.008.