Abstract
This article introduces a theoretical framework to study whether noncapitalist institutions can develop the capacity to sustain themselves, resist co-optation, and form counterhegemonic networks capable of systemic transformation. This framework is then applied to the study of the intentional township of Auroville in India, which has cultivated economic structures based on collective ownership and the provision of universal basic needs. We conclude Auroville currently operates as a nonhegemonic interstitial space within capitalism, rather than a counterhegemonic force. However, with deliberate interventions, Auroville could evolve into a counterhegemonic institution. While this study provides an initial application of our framework, by incorporating other cases, future research can further clarify the conditions under which interstitial institutions may contribute to systemic transformation.
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