Religious Networking Organizations and Social Justice: An Ethnographic Case Study

Abstract

The current study provides an innovative examination of how and why religious networking organizations work for social justice in their local community. Similar to a coalition or community coordinating council, religious networking organizations are formal organizations comprised of individuals from multiple religious congregations who consistently meet to organize around a common goal. Based on over a year and a half of ethnographic participation in two separate religious networking organizations focused on community betterment and social justice, this study reports on the purpose and structure of these organizations, how each used networking to create social capital, and how religion was integrated into the organizations' social justice work. Findings contribute to the growing literature on social capital, empowering community settings, and the unique role of religious settings in promoting social justice. Implications for future research and practice also are discussed.

Community Food Work as Critical Practice: A Faith-Based Perspective through Narratives

“…According to Todd (2012), FBOs have played a role in development efforts by creating supportive community settings that may also help reduce social marginalization of historically underserved communities. Although the work of FBOs has been varied and at times controversial, we point to three primary reasons that faith-based organizations are involved in food systems work.…”

“…Second, many faith traditions have a philosophy to care for the poor (McGovern, Dole & Messer, 2005). Third, faith-based organizations generally have social and cultural capital that make them adept at engaging in social justice work (Rosenberger, Richards, Nevin Gifford, & Gossen, 2006;Todd, 2012); research suggests that high levels of social capital can increase a group's success at food systems change (Crowe & Smith, 2012).…”

Applying affiliation social network analysis to understand interfaith groups

“…Whether through community organizing (Christens & Speer, religious leaders in strategies for community organizing with the goal of returning these leaders to their local community to create networks of congregations to organize for influence and power (Wood & Warren, 2002). Other case study research focuses on grass-roots religious partnerships that form to address specific issues such as the environment (Feldman & Moseley, 2003), labor issues (Bobo, 2003), health disparities (Kaplan et al, 2009), education (Quezada, 2003;Todd, 2012), or multiple issues at the same time (McCormack, 2013). Many of these groups are interfaith in nature with representation across religious traditions and with the goals of promoting religious understanding while also working for community change (Fulton & Wood, 2012;Patel, 2007).…”

“…Thus, one way interfaith groups may be involved in change efforts is in sharing organizational resources with other communitybased organizations focused on local change initiatives. Indeed, case study research with two interfaith groups showed how groups shared economic, knowledge, and volunteer resources with other community-based organizations to contribute to community service projects and larger efforts for systemic change (Todd, 2012). In the current study, we use affiliation social network analysis to examine patterns in how interfaith groups share resources with religious and non-religious community-based organizations, revealing how resource sharing may be one way in which interfaith groups contribute to efforts for local community change.…”

“…From a social network perspective, interfaith groups may serve as hubs to network members to other resources for activism. For example, Todd (2012) showed that the primary function of one interfaith group was for formal and informal networking where people connected one another to specific resources for community activism such as political leaders, volunteers, and other local experts. Such connection to resources through participation in an interfaith group shows how groups may create bridging social capital that (a) connects people from different groups through the interfaith group and (b) helps members link one another to other resources outside of the group.…”