Social and Solidarity Economy and Sustainable Development: Cases of Southeast Asia

Presentation of a research project as part of the "Jeudis de la Maison Suger", a residents' research seminar.

Bok Jeong is an Associate Professor of Public Administration at Kean University in New Jersey, United States, and a Research Fellow at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) in Geneva, Switzerland. In his role at UNRISD, he researches the impact of social and solidarity economy organisations in developing countries across Asia. He holds a PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Presentation of the project

"This study aims to examine the role of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) in promoting sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on public policy mobilisation and the role of leadership in fostering inclusion and equity. It explores the extent to which this government-led SSE model can be applied in other parts of Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, which has markedly different economic, societal, and cultural foundations and histories.

Southeast Asia is a global cultural melting pot, where ancient traditions, religions, and ethnic groups blend with modern influences (Hedman, 2001; Hhlin, 2016; Hughes, 2009). This stands in contrast to East Asia, which is still characterised by cultural and ethnic homogeneity, underpinned by enduring Confucian traditions. Southeast Asian countries offer a valuable point of comparison for assessing the varying intensity of state involvement (‘stateness’) in shaping development across the region.

The SSE landscape in Southeast Asia also reflects the broader complexity of its civil societies, made more intricate by the hybrid nature of SSE organisations, which operate at the intersection of three logics of interest (ESCAP, 2021; Bidet & Defourny, 2019)."

Speaker

• Bok Jeong is an Associate Professor of Public Administration at Kean University in New Jersey, United States, and a Research Fellow at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development in Geneva, Switzerland.