RETHINKING RURAL CO‐OPERATIVES IN DEVELOPMENT: INTRODUCTION TO THE POLICY ARENA

The global resurgence of co‐operatives has given rise to debate about their role in development. What challenges do they offer to current models of social and economic organisation in the light of crisis? Can co‐operatives go beyond their mixed history and create opportunities for new thinking, policy and practice? This introduction examines some aspects of the history of the co‐operative movement in development and identifies contemporary themes, particularly with respect to rural co‐operatives. It outlines how the articles in the Policy Arena address some of the key questions in current policy debates. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.