Cooperation and governance: Normalisation or regaining of associative principles?

Abstract

Adopting a neoinstitutionnalist perspective, the aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of current restructuring on the associative landscape, particularly on the new or revisited forms of governance. We wonder about the consequences for the associations of concentration movement in particular on their governance structure and on their sociopolitical dimension. While reducing associative leeway is often highlighted by academics and professionnals, we show that, paradoxically, cooperation processes can revitalize and reaffirm the sociopolitical dimension of the associations, through which associations contribute to institutional change. We rely on case studies in PACA and Languedoc-Roussillon.