The paradox of development: debates on the construction of a cooperative in Costa Rica

Methodological proposal on how to create a workshop

Abstract

The present work analyses the way "development" and the "good life" are perceived by the members of the Costa Rican cooperativism, based on four case studies in the localities of La Cruz, Ciudad Neily, Buenos Aires and San Vito. This interesting experience encouraged us to create a workshop proposal, which could be used as a tool in the process of creating a cooperative and/or throughout its operation, in order to reduce the risk of misunderstandings among its members, in the case of a decision about the objectives or paths of their activity.

Cooperativism, an element of the solidarity economy, is an axis of alternative proposals for development and alternative development. Therefore, I am convinced that within these entities there must be room to discuss such important issues.

At the same time, the present study is part of a larger project funded by the National Science Center - Poland (no. 2018/29/B/HS6/00187) entitled “Discourses and developmental dilemmas of local communities in Central America”, the fieldwork was carried out in January 2021 and a series of virtual debates where different perspectives on development in the context of building megaprojects were analysed.