Breaking the Shell: Identity Development Experiences in a Village Co-operative as a Community of Practice

This study aims to understand how farmers in a rural agricultural co-operative shape their identity development experiences through social interactions. Based on the community of practice approach, this qualitative study uses a case study methodology and examines the Gödence Agricultural Development Co-operative in a mountain village in western Turkey. Data were collected through interviews, participant observation and document analysis and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that farmers experienced movement from the periphery to the center during their participation in the co-operative and that this movement, combined with learning experiences, contributed to identity development. The study reveals that co-operatives in rural communities can function not only economically but also in community-based learning and identity construction. In this respect, the study makes theoretical and practical contributions to the fields of adult education, rural development, and community-based learning.