Interrupting Innovation

“Interrupting Innovation takes the concept of social innovation in a new direction, calling for a broader perspective that does not limit social innovation to solving social problems through change within organizations. By introducing science, art, culture, social movements, dialogue, and their impact on societal change, by emphasizing the importance of social relations and their key role in social innovation, the editors and the authors ‘re-load social innovation’ to highlight the ‘social as innovation.’”

-- Marguerite Mendell, distinguished professor emerita, School of Community and Public Affairs, and director, Karl Polanyi Institute of Political Economy, Concordia University

“This book takes a fresh and important look at social innovation, with a focus on social justice, highlighting the need to challenge and change the systems that shape our communities and institutions. Through a variety of real-world examples from different fields, the authors show the importance of collective action and the power of working together as a community, not least in opening up new ways of thinking and acting. This book is a must read for both students and professionals, as it expands our understanding of social innovation and its potential to bring about real, lasting change.”

-- Michael Roy, professor of social innovation & sustainable organizations, Stirling Management School

“The field of social innovation often falters on the irrational exuberance behind the claims that it makes. Finally, along comes a collection that takes a more critical, grounded approach that fills the substance gap in a gentle and generous way at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher. In a world on fire with multiple crises unfolding, Interrupting Innovation: Centring the Social is a critical intervention and a must read for students, professors, activists and non-profit organizations trying up the ante in bringing about transformative social change.”

-- Am Johal, director, Vancity Office of Community Engagement, and co-director, Community Engaged Research Initiative, Simon Fraser University

“While decades of neoliberal rule have cultivated widespread despair and a sense of powerlessness, Interrupting Innovation offers a much-needed counter-narrative that suggests that change is indeed possible, and that social innovation is an appropriate means to that end. The book draws on concrete empirical cases from the Canadian context to offer a fresh look at how social innovation creates desirable futures by detailing how creativity, power-sharing, community embeddedness, co-creation, and arts-based interventions can serve as vehicles for social justice and positive social transformation. A remarkably clear-eyed, comprehensive, and inspiring guide to what social innovation can achieve—in Canada and beyond—while also pointing to the ever-present danger of its dark side.”

-- Pascal Dey, professor, Bern University of Applied Scie