Social innovation: a new (old) approach to societal change?

Anne Vorre Hansen, Clara Dawe and Anders Folmer Buhelt

Chapter 1 in The Power of Collective Action, 2026, pp 5-24 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter unfolds the historical and theoretical foundations of social innovation as an approach to societal change. First, we take a long step back in history to the origin of the concept of innovation in antiquity and briefly review developments leading up to the introduction of the concept of social innovation in the 1800s. With the historical context in place, we introduce the research-based understanding of social innovation, the different currents that make up the field, newer approaches, and an emerging critique. We present a typology of the various orientations in social innovation that are important for how social innovation is understood and put into practice. We wrap up the chapter by presenting our own understanding and point of view.

Keywords: Innovation History; Concept Of Social Innovation; Social Innovation Typology; Danish Social Innovation Academy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781049419671
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