Abstract
This contribution, presented within the panel Rural SE 1: Enhancing Social Innovation through Social Economy in Rural Areas at the 10th EMES International Research Conference in Utrecht, illustrates the added value of adopting the Intersectional Critical Systems Approach developed in Work Package 3 of the Horizon Europe SERIGO project. The presentation discusses how this approach can be applied to analyse the role—and the limitations—of Social Economy Initiatives in addressing vulnerabilities in rural contexts. By integrating intersectionality with systems thinking, the framework supports a more nuanced understanding of how diverse forms of disadvantage intersect and how social economy actors can more effectively respond to complex rural challenges.