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A European Civil Society Elite? : Analysing Capital and Drama at the European Economic and Social Committee

Uhlin, Anders LU orcid and Arvidson, Malin LU (2023) In European Societies 25(1). p.87-106
Abstract
Contributing to research on civil society elites in the EU context, this article
focuses on the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). It explores
who the main actors are, what roles they play, and what resources they use,
value, and compete for in this arena. The theoretical starting points are
grounded in Bourdieu’s notions of field and capital and a Goffmanesque
approach to drama. Based on semi-structured interviews with EESC members
and administrators, observations at EESC meetings, and document analysis,
the study explores the types of capital linked to different actors and roles,
stages, and scripts in the EESC field. The most valued capital across EESC
stages are social capital in the form... (More)
Contributing to research on civil society elites in the EU context, this article
focuses on the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). It explores
who the main actors are, what roles they play, and what resources they use,
value, and compete for in this arena. The theoretical starting points are
grounded in Bourdieu’s notions of field and capital and a Goffmanesque
approach to drama. Based on semi-structured interviews with EESC members
and administrators, observations at EESC meetings, and document analysis,
the study explores the types of capital linked to different actors and roles,
stages, and scripts in the EESC field. The most valued capital across EESC
stages are social capital in the form of personal networks, and cultural capital
in the form of negotiation skills and issue-specific knowledge. Actors are
supposed to follow a script of being pro-European, representing organised
civil society in Europe, and aiming at consensus. Being active at the EESC
stages, at least in leading roles, gives actors a kind of EESC-specific capital in
the form of access to influential EU decision-makers. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bourdieu, Goffman, civil society elite, EESC, EU
in
European Societies
volume
25
issue
1
pages
20 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85131035727
ISSN
1461-6696
DOI
10.1080/14616696.2022.2076893
project
Civil society elites? Comparing elite composition, reproduction, integration and contestation in European civil societies
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0e0e187d-d031-4806-948d-694d3877c75c
date added to LUP
2022-05-19 20:34:52
date last changed
2023-04-25 10:54:06
@article{0e0e187d-d031-4806-948d-694d3877c75c,
  abstract     = {{Contributing to research on civil society elites in the EU context, this article<br/>focuses on the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). It explores<br/>who the main actors are, what roles they play, and what resources they use,<br/>value, and compete for in this arena. The theoretical starting points are<br/>grounded in Bourdieu’s notions of field and capital and a Goffmanesque<br/>approach to drama. Based on semi-structured interviews with EESC members<br/>and administrators, observations at EESC meetings, and document analysis,<br/>the study explores the types of capital linked to different actors and roles,<br/>stages, and scripts in the EESC field. The most valued capital across EESC<br/>stages are social capital in the form of personal networks, and cultural capital<br/>in the form of negotiation skills and issue-specific knowledge. Actors are<br/>supposed to follow a script of being pro-European, representing organised<br/>civil society in Europe, and aiming at consensus. Being active at the EESC<br/>stages, at least in leading roles, gives actors a kind of EESC-specific capital in<br/>the form of access to influential EU decision-makers.}},
  author       = {{Uhlin, Anders and Arvidson, Malin}},
  issn         = {{1461-6696}},
  keywords     = {{Bourdieu; Goffman; civil society elite; EESC; EU}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{87--106}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{European Societies}},
  title        = {{A European Civil Society Elite? : Analysing Capital and Drama at the European Economic and Social Committee}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2022.2076893}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/14616696.2022.2076893}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}