Fostering place leadership: the role of cooperatives in Zacatecas, Mexico

This study examines how place leaders in rural Zacatecas promote institutional arrangements that support the emergence of cooperatives in contexts marked by scarcity and structural neglect. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with six cooperative leaders to explore how they produce collective action. Thematic analysis, informed by frameworks on place leadership, institutional legitimacy, and the dynamics of ‘left-behind places’, reveals that leaders play a crucial role in articulating community needs. The study highlights the strategic and relational nature of place leadership in marginalised rural settings and identifies pathways for strengthening community-based organisational development.