DEBATE ON HOW SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE SOCIAL ECONOMY

Abstract

Social Economy and Socially Responsible Consumption represent alternative approaches to the conventional economic paradigm, sharing an orientation towards ethical and sustainable economic practices. The Social Economy seeks to promote cooperation, equity and inclusion in the production and distribution of goods and services, while responsible consumption involves informed decisions that consider ethical and environmental aspects in the acquisition of products. This paper focuses on examining both concepts through a chronological literature review and a word co-occurrence network analysis. The literature review traces the historical origins of both approaches and highlights their contemporary relevance in the global economy. The analysis of word co-occurrence networks identifies the keywords related to both approaches and seeks to establish theoretical connections between them. The findings underscore common ground between responsible consumers and social economy producers, including sustainability, social development, and the 2030 Agenda.