This track provides a benchmark space for dialogue, critical reflection, and the advancement of
knowledge on the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) in South Eastern Europe and beyond. It aims to
bring together academics, practitioners, and policymakers interested in rethinking business and
development through approaches that prioritize social value, democratic governance, and environmental
responsibility. In the current context of multiple and overlapping crises—economic, social, ecological, and
geopolitical—this track aims to highlight the resilience of various SSE structures and their capacity to
support more inclusive and sustainable economic systems.
Papers presented may cover the following topics, but they are not limited to them: social economy and
social innovation, social economy and inclusion, social economy models pioneering circular economy,
social economy models advancing the clean energy transition, solidarity-based finance, and the emergence of new forms of social economy (e.g., community energy cooperatives, platform cooperatives, local exchange systems, solidarity food networks, short supply chains, etc.), or recent legislative
developments in the field of the social economy. We encourage submissions from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and perspectives and welcome both theoretical and empirical contributions.
Track Chairs: Cristina Barna, PhD., Associate Lecturer at the Faculty of Management from SNSPA, Romania & Adina Rebeleanu, PhD., Associate Professor at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania
E-mail: cristina.barna@facultateademanagement.ro