Productive resistance: A study of change, emotions, and identity in the context of the Apostolic Visitation of U.S. women religious, 2008–2012

The Mind and Heart of Resonance: The Role of Cognition and Emotions in Frame Effectiveness

“…The outcomes of cognitive resonance have been mostly documented in professional spheres: honours and awards that lead to career advancement and substantial year‐end bonuses (Giorgi and Weber, ); intellectual dominance (Lamont, ); premium market prices and critics’ appreciation (Khaire and Wadhwani, ); client engagements that generate profits and visibility for architectural firms (Jones and Livne‐Tarandach, ), and capital to be invested in new ventures (Lounsbury and Glynn, ). For emotional resonance, outcomes mostly pertain to the sphere of passion and activism – from turning market issues into ‘hot causes’ (Rao, ), managing external threats to one's identity and lifestyle (Giorgi et al, ; Schrock et al, ), overturning moral judgement on a disease (Gould, ), or becoming evangelists that enthusiastically support a product (Massa et al, ). All these examples show that emotional resonance can neutralize threats to one's identity, create a sense of togetherness or cohesion, and transform feelings of shame, boredom, or marginalization into pride, passion, and active engagement.…”

“…In the USA, the anti‐AIDS movement first and foremost aimed at resolving feelings of shame, anger, and sadness in people afflicted by this illness (Gould, ). Finally, the frame of Gospel women worked at bringing diverse groups of Catholic nuns together in their opposition to the Vatican Visitation by evoking positive feelings that counteracted widespread fears (Giorgi et al, ). In all these instances, emotional resonance turned negative emotions into positive feelings of pride and passion.…”

Sober Intoxication: Institutional Contradictions and Identity Work in the Everyday Life of Four Religious Communities in Italy

“…Scholars have recently argued that identity work hinges on the skillful use of cultural resources to increase individuals’ collective awareness as the first step to laying the foundations for institutional change (Creed et al, 2010; Giorgi et al, 2014). In this article we complement this work by bringing attention to the importance of symbolic boundaries – ‘conceptual distinctions made by social actors to categorize objects, people, practices, and even time and space’ (Lamont & Molnár, 2002, p. 168) – as an instrument for effective identity work.…”

“…For example, women religious 1 in the US perceived the 2008 Vatican Visitation as a threat; as a consequence, they initially hired Canon lawyers to defend their beliefs and practices. Over time, however, women religious crafted a new identity as ‘Gospel Women’ that asserted their centrality within the Church and prompted a favorable change in leadership (Giorgi, Guider, & Bartunek, 2014). Similarly, before introducing any sort of change, LGBT Protestant ministers engaged in identity work to first accept their sexual orientation and then reconcile it with their religious commitments (Creed et al, 2010).…”

Marks of Distinction

“…Similarly, by casting hostile takeovers in “more accepting and benign terms” (Hirsch, 1986: 814), the media granted legitimacy to this traditionally deviant practice. And by presenting themselves as “gospel women,” Catholic nuns in the U.S. shaped the Vatican’s understanding of their centrality within the church (Giorgi, Guider, and Bartunek, 2014). Taken together, these studies demonstrate that framing can positively shape audiences’ evaluations.…”