COLLECTIVE ACTION TO SOLVE COMPLEX SOCIAL PROBLEMS
How can collective schemes bring scale to interventions addressing critical societal challenges?
The Award on Research in Social Innovation was launched in 2012 to support postgraduate research initiatives on social innovation around the world. In 2023, the fifth edition of the award will highlight those research projects studying collective action to solve complex social problems. We want to answer to the following question: how can collective schemes bring scale to interventions addressing critical societal challenges?
There is a growing interest and a real attraction for collective actions. There has never been so much talk of collective and participatory approaches, of networking, of the collaborative economy. Many organisations have a long track record of working in collaboration with others, and this field is evolving fast – especially with the application of digital technologies – and an increasing number of actors now explicitly define collective action as their core function.
For the purpose of this award, collective action is defined as any activity in which coordination by and across organisations has the potential to lead to achievement of a common objective.
Complex problems are defined as rapidly evolving, unpredictable and systemic situations with a large number of interdependent variables that affect large groups of people and can affect how well a society functions. Complex problems are difficult to solve, as they can be approached from multiple, sometimes competing, perspectives and which may have multiple possible solutions. Examples of social complex problems include climate change, world poverty, the global financial crisis, child abuse, terrorism and drug abuse. But how does the concept of “collective“ apply to change? How can it be relevant to solve social problems? How does collective action create greater social impact?
The Stone Soup Award on Research in Social Innovation 2023 is the recognition of a deserving research project in social innovation. The recipient of the 2023 award will receive a prize money award of 7500€.
Application period: May 15th – June 20th 2023
Please read the Award Regulation before submitting your application.
Previous Award winners
Read all about our previous winners here. Launched in 2012, the awarded researches cover diverse topics such as educational models, materiality reporting, entrepreneurial learning or diversity and inclusion.
