Looking Alike at the Top? Exploring the Composition of Civil Society Elites in the United Kingdom

Abstract

This biographical study explores the composition of civil society elites in the United Kingdom by analyzing 154 biographies of governance and executive leaders from the most resource-rich civil society organizations. Drawing on concepts from elite and nonprofit leadership studies, the research explores internal homogeneity—similarities within the group—and external homogeneity—common traits with other societal elites. Findings reveal a predominantly White, male, and highly educated civil society elite, with governance leaders exhibiting stronger elite markers than executive leaders. Career types show a divide between “boundary crossers” from other sectors and “insiders” with nonprofit trajectories, the former possessing more elite characteristics. The civil society elites share remarkable similarities with other elites in their education background. The results reveal processes of elite reproduction and elite integration at the top of British civil society, with potential consequences for the representational capacity of major civil society organizations and their independence from other elites.

Keywords

civil society elites elite composition nonprofit leadership homogeneity diversity

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