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Civil society elites

Managers of Civic Capital

Bibliographic Data

ID2059986
AuthorsAnders Sevelsted (0000-0002-6820-3782, Copenhagen Business School, corresponding author), Helena Johansson (0000-0003-1523-3088, Lund University)
Year2024
Volume53
Issue4
Pages933-951
Publication date2024-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTheory and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0304-2421 • E-ISSN: 1573-7853
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s11186-024-09559-2
OpenAlexW4399303178
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited69

The article takes the first steps towards a general theory of civil society elites, a concept not fully developed in either elite or civil society research. This conceptual gap hampers academic and public understanding of the dynamics at the top of civil society. To address this, the authors rely on the theoretical framework of Pierre Bourdieu to build a theory of civil society elites as managers of civic capital. This role is illustrated through examples from the differently institutionalised UK and Nordic civil societies. The first part of the article introduces the notion of civic capital and its emergence during the 19th century. The second part focuses on elite positions in civil society fields, demonstrating how civil society elites, as managers of civic capital, navigate between their constituents and other elite groups. These elites wield the power to consecrate social relations while misrecognising their own symbolic and economic gains. Recent scandals in the climate movement and UK and Nordic civil societies shed light on the symbolic aspects of the positions of civil society elites. This comprehensive analysis contributes to elite and civil society research and enriches public discussions about the role of civil society leaders in society

Civic engagement · Civil society · Geography · Political science · Politics · Social capital · Sociology · Labor Movements and Unions · Law · Public Administration · Social Capital and Networks · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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Unique citing works5
Citations per year2,5
Citation span2024 - 2025 (2)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 4
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