Unveiling the Depths of Social Innovation: A Journey Through Scholarship and Critique. A review of The Encyclopedia of Social Innovation by Jürgen Howaldt and Christoph Kaletka (2023)

It is unclear when, how, or by whom the term “social innovation” was first used. According to Moulaert et al. (2013), the term was coined in Europe in the 1960s. The first book on the subject was published in 1967 by Fairweather, who sought to address social problems through experimental methods and had a reformist and moralistic view of sociology. In Latin America, the terms “appropriate technology” (Caldas & Alves, 2013) and “tecnologia social” (Pozzebon, Souza & Saldanha, 2023) emerged around the same time. These terms were aimed at social development and questioned the role of technology in society, proposing an emancipatory view to create spaces and opportunities that redefine social relations. The term’ social innovation’ has garnered substantial attention in recent academic and empirical research. This is evident in the proliferation of events, exhibitions, and platforms dedicated to discussing and promoting social innovations. The term has also become a prominent keyword in English language scientific research, particularly in business administration, public administration, and public policies, where it supports a wide range of theoretical and ideological positions on the nature of innovation in contemporary society. The Encyclopedia of Social Innovation, a monumental scholarly endeavor, is a testament to the power of collaboration. Edited by Jürgen Howaldt and Christoph Kaletka from the Social Research Centre Dortmund, TU Dortmund University, Germany, this comprehensive guide is the most authoritative resource on social innovation. It delves into key topics such as social innovation ecosystems, co-creation, new technologies and methods, education, governance, and policies. The book’s interdisciplinary approach, drawing on various theoretical foundations, concepts, types, processes, and measurements of social innovation, is a testament to its scholarly rigor. The collaboration of 123 authors from diverse universities and research groups worldwide further enhances its value as an essential resource for anyone interested in social innovation. The book is thoughtfully structured into nine distinct parts, encompassing a range of critical topics. These include theoretical foundations, various social innovation concepts, processes, ecosystems, actors and governance, social innovation within established research areas, business and economics, science and research, innovation policy, and resources and measurement. The authors of each entry have been invited to explore engaging themes under each part, ensuring a diverse and multifaceted perspective on this critical subject matter. When it comes to social innovation, there are some key points that we should keep in mind. In the “Diffusion” entry, Howaldt, Kopp, and Schwarz offer a helpful critique of the common practice of using an outdated theory to understand the spread of innovation in fields beyond the social sciences. Instead, they suggest that we should focus on social innovation and a theory of social change. By drawing on the work of Gabriel Tarde, a French sociologist, on the process of imitation in the spread of new ideas, we can gain a powerful concept that we can use to better understand how innovation can be translated across different fields. By examining the practices and processes of institutionalization and deinstitutionalization, we can take a pragmatic approach to introducing new ideas and innovations. Carolina Andion and Graziela Alperstedt, in their article “Democratic Experimentalism and Social Innovation”, view social innovation as a collective action that arises from a process of coordination between various publics and regimes of engagement. They suggest that social innovation occurs through a long-term process of understanding a public problem and co-producing solutions that involve different actors in public arenas. This process is not linear and may be marked by setbacks, returns, clashes, and power relations. However, forming an experience field - which involves these conflicts and reconstructions - is fundamental to developing social innovations. The publication’s editorial …