A Summary of Seminar 1/4: 'Social Capital and Citizen Collectives'

In the first seminar organised by the Bottom-up Initiatives for Societal Change platform, we listened to the research papers of Thomas Bauwens: 'Does social Capital Foster Renewable Energy Cooperatives?', and Kevin Wittenberg: 'The Emergence of Citizen Collectives for Care: the Role of Social Cohesion'.

A dynamic discussion emerged on the similarities and differences between citizen collectives in the energy sector and the care sector. Especially the different geographical concentrations of these types of initiatives within the Netherlands raised questions in the room. Arguments given and discussed for these differences were among others: the types of social cohesion within the community and the historical background of such intitiatves.

Both articles have yet to be published.