One Path to Co-op Studies

One can approach the study of co-operatives and the co-operative movement from many disciplinary and experiential directions. The essays in this book reflect the journey of one Canadian activist and researcher. It includes some essays from the beginning of his career as an historian, then others that demonstrate how and why he became devoted to the field of Co-operative Studies.

Though still believing he is fundamentally an historian, the author has come to recognize, through involvement as an elected person with several co-ops and community organizations and through discussions with researchers from other disciplines, that a single-discipline approach to understanding the co-operative movement is woefully inadequate. He now holds the view that this is a main reason why the movement has been poorly understood and under appreciated.

The author takes the position that the complexities and possibilities of the movement can only be fully understood by creating a truly interdisciplinary and international approach. The collection of articles in this volume explores how incorporating perspectives drawn from direct experience within the movement and uniting them with a broader perspective can support a greater understanding of the achievements of the co-operative movement.

Section Headings

• Co-operatives and Canadian History
• Matters of Identity
• Credit Unions and Co-operative Banking
• Reflections on the Co-operative Experience
• Understanding and Locating Co-operative Studies

Author: Ian MacPherson

Publisher: New Rochdale Press

Year: 2008