Reconstructive Social Innovation Cycles in Women-Led Initiatives in Rural Areas

Simo Sarkki, Cristina Dalla Torre, Jasmiini Fransala, Ivana Živojinović, Alice Ludvig, Elena Górriz-Mifsud, Mariana Melnykovych, Patricia R. Sfeir, Labidi Arbia, Mohammed Bengoumi, Houda Chorti, Verena Gramm, Lucía López Marco, Elisa Ravazzoli and Maria Nijnik
Additional contact information
Simo Sarkki: Cultural Anthropology, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland
Cristina Dalla Torre: Institute for Regional Development, Eurac Research, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Jasmiini Fransala: Cultural Anthropology, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland
Ivana Živojinović: Institute of Forest, Environment and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, Austria
Alice Ludvig: Institute of Forest, Environment and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, Austria
Elena Górriz-Mifsud: European Forest Institute, Mediterranean Facility (EFIMED), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Mariana Melnykovych: European Forest Institute, Mediterranean Facility (EFIMED), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
Patricia R. Sfeir: SEEDS-Int, Centre Ivoire, Sin el Fil 2707 5501, Lebanon
Labidi Arbia: FAO Regional Office for North Africa, Tunis 1000, Tunisia
Mohammed Bengoumi: FAO Regional Office for North Africa, Tunis 1000, Tunisia
Houda Chorti: FAO Regional Office for North Africa, Tunis 1000, Tunisia
Verena Gramm: Institute for Regional Development, Eurac Research, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Lucía López Marco: Cooperative Research, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (IAMZ), 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Elisa Ravazzoli: Institute for Regional Development, Eurac Research, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Maria Nijnik: Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences Group, The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: Social innovations can tackle various challenges related to gender equity in rural areas, especially when such innovations are initiated and developed by women themselves. We examine cases located in rural areas of Canada, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, and Serbia, where women are marginalized by gender roles, patriarchal values, male dominated economy and policy, and lack of opportunities for education and employment. Our objective is to analyze five case studies on how women-led social innovation processes can tackle gender equity related challenges manifested at the levels of everyday practice, institutions, and cognitive frames. The analyses are based on interviews, workshops, literature screening, and are examined via the qualitative abductive method. Results summarize challenges that rural women are facing, explore social innovation initiatives as promising solutions, and analyze their implications on gender equity in the five case studies. Based on our results we propose a new concept: reconstructive social innovation cycle. It refers to is defined as cyclical innovation processes that engage women via civil society initiatives. These initiatives reconstruct the existing state of affairs, by questioning marginalizing and discriminative practices, institutions, and cognitive frames that are often perceived as normal. The new concept helps with to assessing the implications that women-led social innovations have for gender equity.

Keywords: adaptive cycle; empowerment; gender equity; processes; rural women; qualitative analysis; UN SDG 5; marginalized areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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