A charity ceiling : Experiences of closure, cloning and white saviourism in the UK charity sector
(2026) In Voluntary Sector Review p.1-17- Abstract
- Social mobility research has explored race, class and gender ceilings to explain why certain groups cannot advance in politics or business. This article analyses how ceilings are formed in the charity sector and civil society, often associated with bottom-up organising, unselfish engagement and work for social progress. The research combines theories of social closure and cultural cloning as two interrelated mechanisms of ceiling formation. Drawing on personal accounts from charity professionals engaged in the #CharitySoWhite Twitter campaign, the article identifies four types of closure and cloning: cultural, professional, political and symbolic. The study finds that those with a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic background (BAME) who try... (More)
- Social mobility research has explored race, class and gender ceilings to explain why certain groups cannot advance in politics or business. This article analyses how ceilings are formed in the charity sector and civil society, often associated with bottom-up organising, unselfish engagement and work for social progress. The research combines theories of social closure and cultural cloning as two interrelated mechanisms of ceiling formation. Drawing on personal accounts from charity professionals engaged in the #CharitySoWhite Twitter campaign, the article identifies four types of closure and cloning: cultural, professional, political and symbolic. The study finds that those with a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic background (BAME) who try to climb the charity ladder not only have to pass class, glass, and race ceilings but are also held back by symbolic closure and cloning practices, as deemed unworthy of charity leadership (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/787e5291-e3d5-4de0-b0a6-2d4c2620e566
- author
- Johansson, Håkan LU and Kosova, Stela
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-08-21
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- white saviourism, social closure, cultural cloning, civil society elites
- in
- Voluntary Sector Review
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- Bristol University Press
- ISSN
- 2040-8064
- DOI
- 10.1332/20408056Y2026D000000091
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 787e5291-e3d5-4de0-b0a6-2d4c2620e566
- date added to LUP
- 2026-09-10 11:18:29
- date last changed
- 2026-09-11 06:51:50
@article{787e5291-e3d5-4de0-b0a6-2d4c2620e566,
abstract = {{Social mobility research has explored race, class and gender ceilings to explain why certain groups cannot advance in politics or business. This article analyses how ceilings are formed in the charity sector and civil society, often associated with bottom-up organising, unselfish engagement and work for social progress. The research combines theories of social closure and cultural cloning as two interrelated mechanisms of ceiling formation. Drawing on personal accounts from charity professionals engaged in the #CharitySoWhite Twitter campaign, the article identifies four types of closure and cloning: cultural, professional, political and symbolic. The study finds that those with a Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic background (BAME) who try to climb the charity ladder not only have to pass class, glass, and race ceilings but are also held back by symbolic closure and cloning practices, as deemed unworthy of charity leadership}},
author = {{Johansson, Håkan and Kosova, Stela}},
issn = {{2040-8064}},
keywords = {{white saviourism; social closure; cultural cloning; civil society elites}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{08}},
pages = {{1--17}},
publisher = {{Bristol University Press}},
series = {{Voluntary Sector Review}},
title = {{A charity ceiling : Experiences of closure, cloning and white saviourism in the UK charity sector}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/20408056Y2026D000000091}},
doi = {{10.1332/20408056Y2026D000000091}},
year = {{2026}},
}