Please note that this event has been cancelled due to COVID-19.
The 2020 Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation (CASC) will be happening at Western University, London, Ontario, in conjunction with Annual Congress of Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CFHSS) 2020.
Co-operative enterprises have brought together diverse groups of individuals to meet their economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations. Diversity in the co-operative movement continues to be one of its key strengths. The ability of co-operatives to “Bridge the Divide” between diverse social and cultural groups is what this conference seeks to explore. Specifically, this conference will discuss racialized and marginalized communities and their relationship with the co-operative movement. As a response to anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, communities have turned to the co-operative movement to overcome challenges and “reclaim community” in a collaborative manner. Co-operatives can be spaces where racialized people from various socio-economic backgrounds come together for a common purpose, bridging their divides and advancing racial cohesion and reconciliation. As a movement we must be self-reflective and critical ensuring that marginalized and racialized populations (specifically Black and Indigenous communities) are meaningfully engaged in all aspects of co-operative development.
