Religion, Migration and Business : Faith, Work And Entrepreneurialism in the UK

This book critically interrogates the role of religious faith in the experiences and practices of migrant entrepreneurs against the backdrop of neoliberal Britain. Focussing on Pentecostalism, a popular Christian denomination amongst migrant groups in the UK, the authors draw on primary qualitative data to examine the ways in which Pentecostal beliefs and values influence the aspirations and practices of migrant entrepreneurs. The book also explores the role of Pentecostal churches in supporting entrepreneurial activities among migrant communities, arguing that these institutions simultaneously comply and contest the formation of neoliberal subjectivities: providing cultural legitimacy to the entrepreneurial subject, whilst also contesting the community erosion of neoliberalism, (particularly in an austerity context) and fostering a strong a sense of belonging among congregants. The book offers an interdisciplinary perspective spanning sociology, geography and entrepreneurship studies to explain how values and faith networks shape everyday life, work and entrepreneurial practices. María Villares-Varela is Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Southampton, UK. Olivia Sheringham is Lecturer in Social and Cultural Geography at Birkbeck, University of London, UK Preface 6 Acknowledgements 10 About This Book 12 Contents 14 List of Tables 16 1 Introduction: At the Intersection of Migration, Religion and Entrepreneurship 17 1 Introduction 17 2 Situating the Debates on Migration, Religion and Entrepreneurship 21 3 Research Design, Methods and Data 27 4 The Book’s Contribution 33 References 34 2 Lived Religion and Migrant Entrepreneurship in the Contemporary (Neoliberal) City 39 1 Introduction 39 2 From Secularisation to the Postsecular 41 3 New Religious Spatialities 42 4 Religion, Embodiment and Everyday Life 45 5 Conclusions 47 References 48 3 Conceptualising Religion in Relation to the Drivers and Outcomes of (Migrant) Entrepreneurship 53 1 Introduction 53 2 Ethnic Minority and Migrant Entrepreneurship: The Emergence and Consolidation of the Field 55 3 Migration, Religion and Entrepreneurship 57 4 Pentecostalism, Migration and Enterprise 60 5 Conclusion 62 References 63 4 Values and Faith as Drivers of Entrepreneurship: The Trajectories and Practices of Pentecostal Migrant Business Owners 69 1 Introduction 70 2 Religion and the Migration Trajectories of Business Owners 71 2.1 Exclusion in the Labour Market and Developing Self-belief to Become an Entrepreneur 73 3 Lived Religion in Business Decisions and Trajectories 77 4 Conclusions 84 References 85 5 Becoming an Entrepreneur in Church: The Role of Religious Organisations in Supporting Migrants 87 1 Introduction 87 2 Church as a Place for Spiritual Growth 89 3 ‘We Are a Family, We Are a Community’: Church as a Social Space 93 4 ‘You Can Become Employers, You Don’t Have to Be Employed by Anyone’: Church as a Space for Professional and Business Learning and Growth 97 5 Conclusions 108 References 109 6 Conclusions 111 1 Main Findings and Contributions 111 2 Avenues for Future Research 115 3 Policy Recommendations 116 3.1 Recommendations for Business Support Providers 117 3.2 Recommendations for Churches and FBOs 117 References 119 References 120 Index 131 This book critically interrogates the role of religious faith in the experiences and practices of migrant entrepreneurs against the backdrop of neoliberal Britain. Focussing on Pentecostalism, a popular Christian denomination amongst migrant groups in the UK, the authors draw on primary qualitative data to examine the ways in which Pentecostal beliefs and values influence the aspirations and practices of migrant entrepreneurs. The book also explores the role of Pentecostal churches in supporting entrepreneurial activities among migrant communities, arguing that these institutions simultaneously comply and contest the formation of neoliberal subjectivities: providing cultural legitimacy to the entrepreneurial subject, whilst also contesting the community erosion of neoliberalism, (particularly in an austerity context) and fostering a strong a sense of belonging among congregants. The book offers an interdisciplinary perspective spanning sociology, geography and entrepreneurship studies to explain how values and faith networks shape everyday life, work and entrepreneurial practices. María Villares-Varela is Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Southampton, UK. Olivia Sheringham is Lecturer in Social and Cultural Geography at Birkbeck, University of London, UK Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction: At the Intersection of Migration, Religion and Entrepreneurship (María Villares-Varela, Olivia Sheringham)....Pages 1-22 Lived Religion and Migrant Entrepreneurship in the Contemporary (Neoliberal) City (María Villares-Varela, Olivia Sheringham)....Pages 23-36 Conceptualising Religion in Relation to the Drivers and Outcomes of (Migrant) Entrepreneurship (María Villares-Varela, Olivia Sheringham)....Pages 37-52 Values and Faith as Drivers of Entrepreneurship: The Trajectories and Practices of Pentecostal Migrant Business Owners (María Villares-Varela, Olivia Sheringham)....Pages 53-70 Becoming an Entrepreneur in Church: The Role of Religious Organisations in Supporting Migrants (María Villares-Varela, Olivia Sheringham)....Pages 71-94 Conclusions (María Villares-Varela, Olivia Sheringham)....Pages 95-103 Back Matter ....Pages 105-118