This review problematizes current research on social entrepreneurial crowdfunding based on its underlying assumptions and potential blind spots. By introducing the Communicative Constitution of Organizations (CCO) theory as an alternative approach, directions for prospective research are suggested. Specifically, based on a critical analysis of the research literature on social entrepreneurial crowdfunding, four areas of concern are discussed: 1) an exaggerated belief in the potential of crowdfunding for social entrepreneurs, 2) blind spots created by the use of publicly available data, 3) an individualistic focus, and 4) a variable-centric perspective that neglects the relational nature of the phenomenon. Drawing upon CCO theory, this problematization offers an alternative perspective to bring into view what is typically cast in the shadow in prior research, notably the processual nature of crowdfunding campaigns, the constitutive role of communicative events, the role of non-human agency, and the becoming nature of social enterprises and social entrepreneurs as processual entities. The review contributes to extant research by stimulating a holistic reevaluation of social entrepreneurial crowdfunding scholarship, urging scholars to apply theoretical perspectives and methodologies capable of capturing the underlying dynamics of the phenomenon.
