Social Innovation in Ireland : Challenges and Prospects

Economic crises, growing inequality, climate change and the seeming inability of states to address these challenges have prompted wide-ranging debates on the meaning and trajectory of social development. States and many key stakeholders have expressed considerable interest in social innovation as a solution to some of the challenges outlined and there are arguments that social innovation represents a distinctive approach to sustainable social development. This book brings together leading researchers, policy makers and practitioners, blending theoretical and empirical analysis, and draws on a number of important case studies. Aiming to inform scholars, practitioners, activists and policy makers, the book addresses critical questions about social innovation, including problems with definition, the importance of social and political culture, the key role of the state in supporting social innovation, and the potentially problematic relationship between social enterprise, social innovation and the broader social economy.