Spatial Logics: The Politics of Place in Faith-Based Social Service Provision

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dc.contributor.advisorEcklund, Elaine Howard
dc.creatorBolger, Daniel
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-17T16:42:58Z
dc.date.available2019-05-17T16:42:58Z
dc.date.created2018-12
dc.date.issued2018-11-28
dc.date.submittedDecember 2018
dc.date.updated2019-05-17T16:42:58Z
dc.description.abstractPrior research indicates that, in the provision of social services, faith-based organizations are unique in their propensity to locate in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Yet, scholars and policymakers know little about why this is so, and thus we have little understanding of how they and other social service organizations understand the significance of place in their operation. I draw on 12 months of ethnographic observation (175 hours) and interviews with 24 key informants in two faith-based social service organizations in Houston, Texas to interrogate how organizations articulate a spatial logic for their work and how conceptions of place matter for service provision. I identify two types of spatial logics: a people-centric logic that imbues place with significance based on proximity to a target demographic community, and a place-centric logic that prioritizes service to a specific geographic area. Both types of spatial meanings are shaped not only by religious convictions, but also through relationships with key constituent groups, particularly donors and volunteers. These spatial logics subsequently shape the ways that agencies use space to attract certain populations and deter others. The results have implications for understanding the importance of place in the social safety net, as well as the institutional logics of faith-based social service provision.
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationBolger, Daniel. "Spatial Logics: The Politics of Place in Faith-Based Social Service Provision." (2018) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/105884">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/105884</a>.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/105884
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
dc.subjectReligion
dc.subjectSocial Services
dc.subjectUrban
dc.subjectRace/Ethnicity
dc.subjectQualitative
dc.titleSpatial Logics: The Politics of Place in Faith-Based Social Service Provision
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.materialText
thesis.degree.departmentSociology
thesis.degree.disciplineSocial Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorRice University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts
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