Emerging in response to the rising impact of historic and ongoing hegemonic economic forces (colonialism, capitalism, modernization, neoliberalism) in the Global South, and at a moment when democratic, indigenous, black, feminist epistemologies and practices are re-asserting their importance, solidarity economies have become a vital framework for the promotion of a new understanding for the role that relationships and values play in creating community-led, democratic, and sustainable economic systems.
In the Spring of 2022, three courses at three different universities – the Department of Geography at Indiana University, the Department of Urban Planning at the University of Virginia, and the Department of Urban Planning at the Universidade Federal do Paraná in Brazil – came together to develop a course that would cross-institutional, regional, and international boundaries. Teachers and students collaborated with groups on the ground to identify, understand, and map the histories, practices, and realities of solidarity economies throughout Latin America as part of the course.
At the same time, students conducted qualitative and place-based research to deeply understand how these theories and values become real. From this research, we completed interviews that ultimately became podcast pieces. These were then shared as a part of the 2022 World Social Forum that took place in Mexico City.
You can explore the podcast pieces created by the students through this storymap.
The course was created and taught by:
Patricia Basile – Indiana University – Department of Geography
Matthew Slaats – University of Virginia – Urban Planning Department
Carol Maziviero – Federal University of Parana – Urban Planning Department
The course received funding and support from the following organizations and people:
UVA Institute Humanities and Global Cultures – Mellon Global South Initiative
IU Center For Latin American & Caribbean Studies (CLACS)
IU Global Classroom Fellowship
Private Donor
Patricia Basile 