Opposition and Isomorphism with the Neoliberal Logic in Community Exchange Systems

The purpose of this article is to assess to what extent Community Exchange Systems (CES), and particularly the Grenoble's SEL (Systèmes d'Echange Local) which are counterparts to the Anglo-Saxon Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS), constitute an alternative to neoliberal rationalisation. Our analysis is grounded in the French convention theory (Economie des conventions) and feeds on a long-term action research conducted on CES. This research uncovered trends in institutional isomorphism as well as strategies for resistance developed by local actors.