Creating Economic Space for Social Innovation

Social innovation is a topic of increasing interest to policymakers, civil society, and business globally. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive account of the economic contexts of social innovation. This book aims to address this research gap. It weaves together work from economics, sociology and ethics for a novel theoretical approach: the Extended Social Grid Model (ESGM). Based upon four years of work across a range of countries, this book provides a thorough and nuanced discussion of how social innovation can address major social issues including marginalization, access to housing, clean water, and microcredit. Empirically, the book considers how social innovation has interfaced with the economy, but also the state and civil society in terms of long-term projects, programmes, and policies that have emerged and evolved within and across European states to drive more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable societies.