counterstructures
Counterstructures are social, cultural, and organizational formations that arise to challenge, bypass, or complement established structures. They may be formal institutions, informal networks, or hybrid arrangements that operate in parallel with dominant systems. Counterstructures typically emerge when groups perceive the prevailing arrangements as unresponsive, exclusionary, or coercive and seek alternative modes of governance, economy, or social life.
These formations can occur at local, national, or transnational scales. They often reuse, remix, or repurpose
Common features include decentralization, redundancy, and adaptability; networks that span households, organizations, or digital platforms; and
Examples include mutual-aid networks organized during crises; informal housing under conditions of unaffordable housing; cooperative businesses
Scholarly attention has approached counterstructures from sociology, anthropology, political science, and urban studies, using ethnography, network