Theories of the social economy and social capital, and their relationship to community development, are distinct but overlapping frameworks that attempt to provide insights to community action. The role of nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in facilitating both the social economy and social capital has also been taken for granted in community development studies. Finally, gender is often absent from many discussions on social capital and the social economy, although women and the family have always been central to community life. This chapter seeks to integrate the literature on the social economy and social capital in the context of nonprofit-led community development programs, leveraging both traditional approaches and gendered perspectives offered by feminist theories. Leveraging a case illustration of a cross-national partnership between a US supported grass-roots cooperative in Laos, this chapter also provides a unique opportunity to study the intersection between normative views of social economy and social capital and more critical approaches to these constructs in practice.
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Front Matter
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Part I: Foundations
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Part II: Research Methods and Frameworks
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Part III: Emerging Constructs and the Future of Community Development Research
