In this talk I present the concept of collaborative circles (Farrell 2001): small groups who blend friendship dynamics with occupational goals. I discuss how this approach fits within microsociology, and how to better understand their composition, how they form, and how they operate, we need to take into account the strategic action fields (Fligstein and McAdam 2011) within which they operate (Parker and Corte 2017). Next, I argue that creative work in these small groups partially depends on a tension between developing deep interpersonal ties among members, and opposition to those at the center of a field. Lastly, I present the importance of specific interactional dynamics dependent on the building and maintenance of boundaries which contribute to the development of affective ties among members, as well as taking interactional risks which, in the best cases, contribute to the production of novelty.

Discussant: Felipe Massa