Faith, migration and business: the role of Pentecostalism in migrant entrepreneurial practices in the UK

Abstract

This paper analyses the role of Pentecostalism in migrant entrepreneurial practices. Whilst the link between religion and enterprise is at the core of foundational sociological essays – including Weber’s discussion of the relation between religion and the emergence of capitalism - the connection between religious faith and business practices has remained, until recently, notably under-explored. We contend that more attention needs to be paid to faith and churches as generators of particular norms and values about entrepreneurship, and the wider entrepreneurial aspirations of believers. Our focus on Pentecostalism emerges from its importance amongst new Christian migrant communities in the UK and its emphasis on the promise of prosperity, its success among the poor and its role in career aspirations. Drawing on qualitative interviews with Pentecostal migrants in the UK, in this paper we critically examine: i) the role of Pentecostal churches in supporting entrepreneurial activities among migrant communities; and ii) the ways in which Pentecostal beliefs and values influence the aspirations and practices of migrant entrepreneurs. Our research suggests that the influence of Pentecostalism is fundamental to understanding the positionality of these migrants, not just in terms of in their entrepreneurial behaviour but in terms of their experiences and practices within wider socio-economic contexts.

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ORCID for Maria Villares-Varela: orcid.org/0000-0002-0137-7104

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