| dc.description.abstract | The traditional scholarship on ethnic minority migrant businesses (EMMB) usually adopts either a cultural or a socio-economic lens, which, albeit insightful, primarily emphasises a polarised narrative to explain the complex dynamics of migrant businesses. This research problematises this approach, arguing for a more nuanced framework to address the multi-layered and intersectional influence of both structural and agentic elements, which are fundamental to EMMBs. In doing so, this thesis interprets and operationalises Bourdieu’s key concepts of ‘field’, ‘habitus’, and ‘capital’ and establishes a relational link between the dominant structural elements of EMMBs influenced by race, ethnicity, class and EMMB owners’ agency. This thesis particularly explores the diverse capital accumulation and conversion processes of Bangladeshi and Indian EMMB owners (two dominant South Asian entrepreneurial communities in the UK), influenced by a layered field-habitus interplay. Methodologically, the thesis is based on 50 in-depth semi-structured interviews of EMMB owners in London, two key actor interviews, and observations of business operations. Alongside this, a significant level of secondary data analysis, including policy documents and various census reports, is conducted. The analysis reinforces the complex and multi-layered aspects of minority migrant entrepreneurship. Differential access and possession of cultural, social, and economic capital influence the field position and symbolic power of EMMB owners. The mobility within the field is further determined by their ability to impact the interchangeability of non-financial capital into financial capital and vice versa. However, structural discrimination and unfavourable perceptions often generate obstacles in the overall conversion process. The research addresses the limitations associated with agency-structure dualism in the EMMB literature. It makes theoretical and methodological contributions by repurposing Bourdieusian concepts and using them in a comparative light to understand the migrant business experience better. It also offers a more nuanced perspective on EMMB experiences, thus aiding in more relevant policy initiatives. | en_US |
