Bourdieusian Capital as a Method to Examine Assimilation of Gay Spaces in London and Manchester

Abstract

I argue that charismatic leadership operating in the meso level can participate in driving the assimilation of some members of marginalized groups to the mainstream while pushing others further away. Grounded on Bourdieu’s theory of practice and bolstered by new Bourdieusian theories of capital, I examine how capital invested by gay spaces within the London and Manchester gay scene alter what is perceived to be the norm. These occur not only at the level of cities and institutions, but also by individual actors who own and/or operate spaces for gay people. Carrying highly valued capital in various combinations, I argue that these space operators have enabled actions that aid in facilitating the process of gay neo-assimilation in the UK.