Making Structural Change with Relational Power: A Gender Analysis of Faith-Based Community Organizing

Sarah B Garlington,Jennifer A Shadik,Kerri A Shaw,Margaret R Durham Bossaller

doi:10.17645/si.v7i2.1961

Sarah B Garlington, Jennifer A Shadik + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v7i2.1961

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Journal: Social inclusion	Publication Date: Jun 24, 2019
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Ohio University

Abstract

This article presents research on faith-based community organizing in the US to examine how congregation members engage in structural change efforts related to marginalized populations. Examining the case of one organizing model, justice ministry, congregations focus on power defined through relationships, cultivated in informal spaces, and communicated through personal narrative (traditionally private, feminine spheres), and change is enacted by creating tension in public (traditionally masculine) spaces with decision-makers. A growing body of literature presents nuanced gender analyses of policy advocacy, social movements, and community change efforts both in terms of strategic models of action and revisiting our understanding of historical movements. We ask questions about how the expectations and work are constrained or facilitated by cultural expectations of gender roles and power dynamics. Examining the organizing model of justice ministry through a gender lens helps to understand how an emphasis on relational power (traditionally gendered as feminine) facilitates and strengthens the use of a range of tools, including publicly challenging authority (more frequently gendered as masculine). While the private/public, feminine/masculine dichotomy has severe limitations and risks oversimplification, the utility remains in helping name and challenge real power differentials based on gender.

Highlights

When we investigate the role of religion in welfare policies and provision, we often focus on how dominant religious traditions shape cultural discourse around welfare or how congregations help meet welfare needs at the community level
In the case of one national organization’s model of justice ministry, congregations focus on Social Inclusion, 2019, Volume 7, Issue 2, Pages 24–32 power defined through relationships, cultivated in informal spaces, and communicated through personal narrative, and change is enacted by creating tension in public spaces with community decision-makers
We know from the extensive literature on welfare policy and cross-national comparisons that gendered power dynamics are interwoven into the development of policy and the definitions of the social problems welfare policy tries to address

Summary

Introduction

When we investigate the role of religion in welfare policies and provision, we often focus on how dominant religious traditions shape cultural discourse around welfare (and welfare policy) or how congregations help meet welfare needs at the community level. This article presents research on faith-based community organizing (FBCO) in the US to examine how congregation members engage in structural change efforts related to marginalized populations and those most often part of welfare systems. In the case of one national organization’s model of justice ministry, congregations focus on Social Inclusion, 2019, Volume 7, Issue 2, Pages 24–32 power defined through relationships, cultivated in informal spaces, and communicated through personal narrative (traditionally private, feminine spheres), and change is enacted by creating tension in public (traditionally masculine) spaces with community decision-makers. FBCO efforts tend to focus on issues of local concern to middleand lower-income people in urban areas (Flaherty & Wood, 2004; Swarts, 2008; Wood & Warren, 2002). Specific topics addressed by FBCO groups vary widely but often have a common theme of striving for justice and equality for the disadvantaged (Galluzzo, 2009; Stout, 2011; Warren, 2001; Wood & Warren, 2002)

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