The study explores the political dimension of entrepreneurship emerging within the context of a subaltern counterpublic (a form of community cultivating contestation of current social structures) primarily consisting of second-generation Swedes with connections to marginalized suburbs in Stockholm. It examines discursive struggles within a network of entre­preneurs that are part of the community, who organize in various ways against social exclusion and marginalization to improve conditions for marginalized people and construct a more inclusive and democratic society.

- I have been interested in politics, activism and big societal debates for a long time, and before I started my PhD I noticed that some entrepreneurs combined their activism with entrepreneurship. I found this phenomenon interesting and saw examples of it in the anti-racist movement in Sweden. This became the starting point of my study, says Amelia.

Amelia Olsson with the thesis Political Dimensions of Entrepreneurship - Exploring Competing Discourses in a Marginalized Urban Community Aspiring for Social Change.

The thesis is a monograph in which the entire study is presented in the form of a book instead of a collection of articles. By investigating how the entrepreneurs in the study formulate the societal problems they address through their entrepreneurship, Amelia have identified four discourses that motivate and shape their organizations. Two of the discourses follow the neoliberal logic around which our current society is organized. These discourses are permeated by the idea that economic growth is key to create a good society for everyone, and that economic growth is best accomplished by fostering entrepreneurial beings that take responsibility for their own lives and welfare. The assumption is that everyone benefits from economic growth, which means that everyone is expected to contribute to it. These two discourses produce entrepreneurship aiming to help individuals become entrepreneurial and employable so that they can increase their economic value on the market. It also produces consultancy activities aiming to convince companies that diverse and inclusive organizations will generate growth and profit.

The following two discourses differ from the neoliberal logic and instead describe current societal structures as unjust. These discourses argue that current structures are discriminating against certain groups which results in reproduction of poverty. They generate a type of entrepreneurship that focuses on collective solidarity rather than individual success, and they generate organizations and products that are permeated by those ideas. When the entrepreneurs talk about their organizations they move between the different discourses (often unaware that they do so). This movement implies that their entrepreneurship is permeated by constant discussion, experimentation, and reevaluation of their operations, values, and societal impact.

In the thesis you have addressed Implications for practitioners and Implications for Policymakers, can you tell us a little about the content under these headings?

These paragraphs describe the study’s implications for entrepreneurs and policymakers who are pursuing a more equal and (participatory) democratic society. The study shows that practitioners of such entrepreneurship should be aware of how their descriptions of society and their own entrepreneurship can become co-opted by an economic logic that privileges economic growth over virtually all other values. They should reflect on what ideals such a logic produces and what consequences it has on other values. Also, entrepreneurs who pursue social change should look beyond their own operations and reflect on the social movements and streams of ideas to which they wish to contribute. The study also shows that policymakers should be careful about contributing to the celebration of social entrepreneurship as a way to solve societal problems since this focus on innovative and efficient solutions tends to overshadow the focus on representation and democratic participation.

Can you tell us about your conclusions?

My most important finding is that social entrepreneurship is not a one-dimensional concept. It is per definition political and can belong to different movements and streams of ideas, which highlights the importance of the political context of entrepreneurship.

What is your next step, what are you going to do now?

I would like to continue researching about entrepreneurship and civil society in relation to big societal issues like social exclusion, inequality, and environmental crises.

Read the thesis Political Dimensions of Entrepreneurship - Exploring Competing Discourses in a Marginalized Urban Community Aspiring for Social Change