Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article uses an organizational perspective to highlight the role of power in making inclusion meaningful at a non-denominational evangelical congregation. Using qualitative data, I analyze non-religious organizational processes that affect power relations among members in organizational settings. I identify two complementary strategies for coordinating collective action that make inclusion meaningful in practice. The first strategy Politicizes Inclusivity by instituting recurrent public deliberations on inclusivity and diversity. The second strategy uses a set of Inclusive Power Arrangements that empower the voices of marginalized members in the everyday workings of the church. Finally, I show how the success of these strategies in producing racial and socioeconomic diversity created such a strong feeling of trust that members readopted them even after realizing that LGBT inclusion involved different challenges. Findings extend fundamental theoretical assertions about studying inclusivity in religious organizations and address issues relevant to the persistent problem of tokenism.
Source: Qualitative Sociology
Author: Arnab Chakraborty
Institution: University of Southern California
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
OpenAlex ID: W7160172049