Moral Elites: The Historical Positioning of Civil Society Leaders in National Moral Economies

Objective

Conduct a ground-breaking historical-relational comparative study of civil society elites integration in and effects on four European countries' moral economies, explaining diverging paths through career trajectories and position-takings.

Question

Why, how, and with what consequences were civil society elites historically integrated into national moral economies?

Hypothesis

The position and position-taking of civil society elites since the mid-19th century crucially shaped national moral economies.

Motivation and Scientific Significance

Counters the almost completely neglected historical impact of civil society elites in elite studies, civil society scholarship, welfare state research, and political economy.

Challenges compartmentalisation of social science through a comprehensive theoretical framework.

Breaks new methodological ground in integrating career trajectory analysis and NLP topic modelling textual analysis.

Significantly reorients scientific and public understanding of the historical role of civil society elites.

Societal Value

Strengthens transparency and accountability of civil society elites by pinpointing their historically changing dependencies.

Enhances the understanding of the role of civil society elites in stabilising and deepening democratic institutions, social policies, and regulation of the economy.

Profile of PI

Strong background in historical sociology, civil society research, welfare state research, and sociology of religion.

Strong international network with several European and US American universities.

Organiser of and presenter at international conferences.

Ambitious and original academic publishing record highly relevant to the project proposal's study object and theoretical and methodological approach.

Key Deliverables

1. At least three quality journal articles per PhD candidate and two per post doc.
2. Two cross-WP theoretical and methodological articles and a cross-WP monograph.
3. Two edited volumes or special issues.