About the series
The Critical Perspectives on Social Innovation series from the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation aims to provide you with insightful critiques of social innovation theory and practice.
The idea and practices of social innovation have been adopted by social, public and private organisations across the globe. In particular, financial instruments and entrepreneurship as the primary routes to social impact. In doing so, there is the danger of an ‘one size fits all’ approach to social innovation, rather than exploring practises drawn from other times, places and cultural contexts.
Read our critical perspectives
Critical commentaries on contemporary social innovation theory and practise as well as exploring alternative approaches.
| No. | Title | At a glance | Author | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2025/2 | Social exits | In this essay Neil, Paul and Simon reflect on the idea of ‘social exits’ – how to leave a social venture, project or partnership – a crucial topic which social innovators have neglected to date. | Neil Stott, Paul Tracey & Simon Dwight | Download full commentary |
 | 2025/1 | Climate peaceshaping | In ‘Peaceshaping’ (Critical Perspectives 2024: 4), Professors Neil Stott and Paul Tracey and Dr Jarrod Pendlebury conceptualised peaceshaping as highly consequential institutional work which has profound effects on global challenges. In this essay Neil, Jarrod, Paul and Dean Muruven deploy these concepts to outline their thoughts on climate peaceshaping. | Neil Stott, Jarrod Pendlebury, Dean Muruven & Paul Tracey | Download full commentary |
 | 2024/4 | Peaceshaping | In this contribution Professors Neil Stott and Paul Tracey and Dr Jarrod Pendlebury explore what ‘peaceshaping’ means to them. | Neil Stott, Jarrod Pendlebury & Paul Tracey | Download full commentary |
 | 2024/2 | Breaking barriers: lessons from Cambridge on embracing diversity and innovation | In today’s world, people often stick to their own groups, whether in work, social circles, or online. However, stepping out of these comfort zones and embracing moments of awkwardness with those different from us can lead to a brighter future. Doing the same things in the same way isn’t enough anymore; we need to try something new. In this article, I’ll share my journey to Cambridge and how I discovered that those I thought were different from me were actually allies. | Simon Dwight | Download full commentary |
 | 2024/1 | Social innovation and the UN Sustainable Development Goals: 5 blockages to progress | Social innovators have embraced UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they provide a framework for their work and spark creativity in addressing global issues. However, progress towards the SDGs has been slow. While various entities are engaged in efforts to achieve the goals, there are 5 core assumptions that are hindering progress. These assumptions shape a specific approach to social change that needs to be reconsidered in order to make significant strides towards meeting the SDG targets. | Paul Tracey & Neil Stott | Download full commentary |