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Civil Society Elites and State Consecration : Acceptance, Ambivalence and Rejection of Royal Honours in the UK

Ivanovska Hadjievska, Milka LU and Johansson, Håkan LU (2025) In Sociology
Abstract
Elites are often offered prestigious state prizes and awards. Although most elites accept, prestigious prizes constitute a challenge for others since institutional symbolic capital cannot be merely accepted, but requires careful negotiation and management. This article investigates the dilemma of being consecrated by the state by studying civil society elites’ reception and use of royal honours, the UK’s most prestigious voluntary and charity work award. We theorise different positionings towards state consecration as elite strategies for downplaying distinction, which enable the maintenance of social hierarchy and transformation of symbolic capital into other resources. Based on an interview study we identify three elite positionings on... (More)
Elites are often offered prestigious state prizes and awards. Although most elites accept, prestigious prizes constitute a challenge for others since institutional symbolic capital cannot be merely accepted, but requires careful negotiation and management. This article investigates the dilemma of being consecrated by the state by studying civil society elites’ reception and use of royal honours, the UK’s most prestigious voluntary and charity work award. We theorise different positionings towards state consecration as elite strategies for downplaying distinction, which enable the maintenance of social hierarchy and transformation of symbolic capital into other resources. Based on an interview study we identify three elite positionings on the offer (‘acceptance’, ‘ambivalence’ and ‘rejection’) and associated practices of capital transformation. Although much prize research has focused on acceptance as a prerequisite for social, cultural and financial advantages, the article shows that some elites benefit more from rejection or ambivalent acceptance of a state prize. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
royal honours, civil society elites, consecration, Bourdieu, symbolic capital
in
Sociology
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:105001381828
ISSN
0038-0385
DOI
10.1177/00380385251324552
project
Civil society elites? Comparing elite composition, reproduction, integration and contestation in European civil societies
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
78bbcf70-20ab-47f3-9fc3-51a74d938df8
date added to LUP
2025-03-28 16:02:34
date last changed
2025-04-09 04:01:28
@article{78bbcf70-20ab-47f3-9fc3-51a74d938df8,
  abstract     = {{Elites are often offered prestigious state prizes and awards. Although most elites accept, prestigious prizes constitute a challenge for others since institutional symbolic capital cannot be merely accepted, but requires careful negotiation and management. This article investigates the dilemma of being consecrated by the state by studying civil society elites’ reception and use of royal honours, the UK’s most prestigious voluntary and charity work award. We theorise different positionings towards state consecration as elite strategies for downplaying distinction, which enable the maintenance of social hierarchy and transformation of symbolic capital into other resources. Based on an interview study we identify three elite positionings on the offer (‘acceptance’, ‘ambivalence’ and ‘rejection’) and associated practices of capital transformation. Although much prize research has focused on acceptance as a prerequisite for social, cultural and financial advantages, the article shows that some elites benefit more from rejection or ambivalent acceptance of a state prize.}},
  author       = {{Ivanovska Hadjievska, Milka and Johansson, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{0038-0385}},
  keywords     = {{royal honours, civil society elites,  consecration, Bourdieu, symbolic capital}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Sociology}},
  title        = {{Civil Society Elites and State Consecration : Acceptance, Ambivalence and Rejection of Royal Honours in the UK}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00380385251324552}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/00380385251324552}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}