Legal Definitions - co-opt

The term "co-opt" refers to the act of incorporating someone or something into an existing group, system, or strategy. This can occur in two primary ways:

• To elect or appoint someone to a committee or group by the votes of the existing members.
• To absorb or integrate an external group, idea, or individual into one's own system, often to neutralize opposition, gain influence, or benefit from their resources or appeal.

Here are some examples to illustrate the application of "co-opt":

• Example 1: Adding a New Member

  A university's academic senate has a vacant seat on its curriculum committee. Rather than holding a campus-wide election, the existing senate members vote to co-opt a highly experienced professor from the engineering department to fill the position, recognizing their expertise would be invaluable.

  Explanation: In this scenario, "co-opt" is used in the sense of the existing members choosing to add a new individual to their group or committee, often based on specific qualifications or needs, without a broader selection process.

• Example 2: Absorbing an External Movement

  A large technology company is facing public backlash and protests from a consumer advocacy group regarding its data privacy practices. To mitigate the negative publicity and potentially influence the group's agenda, the company invites the leader of the advocacy group to join its newly formed ethics advisory board. By doing so, the company attempts to co-opt the activist leader and their movement, bringing them inside the corporate structure.

  Explanation: Here, "co-opt" illustrates the act of absorbing an external force (the activist leader and their movement) into an existing system (the company's advisory board), often with the strategic aim of neutralizing opposition or gaining control over a narrative.

• Example 3: Integrating an Idea or Strategy

  During a local election campaign, a mainstream political party notices that a popular independent candidate is gaining significant traction with voters due to a unique and innovative proposal for urban development. To broaden their appeal and capture some of the independent candidate's support, the mainstream party decides to co-opt this popular urban development plan, incorporating it into their own platform as if it were their original idea.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates "co-opt" as the act of taking an idea, strategy, or proposal from an external source and integrating it into one's own system or platform, often to benefit from its popularity or effectiveness.