Social Entrepreneurship as Field Encroachment: How a Neoliberal Social Movement Constructed a New Field
Journal article about Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship and neoliberalism.
Introduction
In explaining the emergence of new strategic action fields, in which social movements’ and organizations’ logic, rules and strategies are forged, inter-field dynamics remain under-explored. The case of Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (SEE) shows how new fields can emerge through field encroachment, whereby shifts among overlapping fields create structural opportunities for the ascendency of new fields, which may adapt logics borrowed from adjacent fields to construct legitimacy. SEE leveraged the 1980s’ shift between first-order market and state fields to encroach on the political strategies of community organizing, birthing a neoliberal social movement to create a new field addressing social problems using market-based, profit-motivated approaches. With its borrowed veneer of justice, SEE rapidly developed a high academic and public profile over just three decades, despite little evidence its approach to solving social problems works. In encroaching on proven political strategies for solving social problems, it may further undermine democratic practices.
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Brief about Dr. Jason Spicer
Dr. Jason Spicer is an Assistant Professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College (CUNY) and the Graduate Center (CUNY). He is a scholar-practitioner in political economy and urban planning, with a focus on democratic economic models such as worker cooperatives, credit unions, and community land trusts. His work bridges the gap between theory and practice, offering insights into how alternative economic systems can support more equitable and sustainable urban development.
Background and Education
Dr. Spicer holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and a Master’s in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He spent over 15 years working in urban development across nonprofit, private, and governmental sectors. This hands-on experience continues to shape his academic research and teaching style.
Research and Teaching Focus
Dr. Spicer explores how economic democracy can be realized through cooperative models, policy design, and inclusive planning. He teaches courses on social entrepreneurship, economic development, and urban policy. His research includes studies on community land trusts, manufactured housing resilience, and public policy for economic alternatives.
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