Participatory Governance: Comparing Cooperatives in Different Sectors, Settings and Cultures

The hybrid nature of cooperatives and their pursuit of multiple goals make them interesting for economics, political science and sociology. This contribution explores their ability to enter the space left by a retreating state by cooperativizing, rather than privatizing the provision of social and welfare services. It compares three books on cooperatives in different sectors, settings and cultures. In spite of major differences between them, where and how they operate, they show some notable similarities. This helps identify some unique institutional structures and characteristics that comprise a model for future development of cooperatives.