The Role of Social Capital in the Reproduction of Class Inequality Among Theater Actors

This study examines how social capital plays a role in reproducing class inequalities in theatre actors' employment and career processes. Using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 theatre actors working in public and private theatres in Ankara. Three themes of how social capital contributes to the perpetuation of inequality among theatre actors emerged from the qualitative data analysis: 'family: being born into the play', 'belongings: tickets to the field', and 'market relations'. From primary to secondary socialisation processes, social networks play a crucial role in the professional careers of theatre actors, both in terms of employment and rewards. Moreover, social capital is even more important for theatre actors in the face of the uncertain and precarious conditions created by the commercialization dominating today's creative and cultural industries in employment and career processes. The study's findings contribute to the literature on social inequality by revealing how social closure develops through social capital in a field such as theater where meritocratic discourse is dominant.