Biography

I study organizations, social movements, religion, and social interaction with a focus on the micro-dynamics of organizational life. My dissertation investigates how executives respond to the demands of social movements. Drawing on archival material and qualitative interviews, I engage in close analysis of the International Mission Board (IMB), the Southern Baptist Convention’s main agency for international evangelism and church planting. I trace how IMB leaders adapted to pressure from conservative activists and outline the long-term impact of this pressure on the organization’s structure. Beyond my dissertation, I am interested in the systematic underpinnings of social interaction and use conversation analysis to explore how people manage intersubjectivity, morality, and joint solidarity on a moment-by-moment basis.