Call for Paper: International Critical Management Studies Conference. Manchester Business School, 10th – 12th of July 2013.
Stream title: ‘Advocacy Ethnography’
Stream Organisers:
Matthew Brannan (Keele) Gary Brown (ULMS), Elaine Eades (ULMS), Chloe Roberts (UoL), Aileen Lawless (JMLU), David Weir (Essex) and Frank Worthington (ULMS).
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‘I wanted to show the inhumanity of it all - not only its inhumanity but also the unquestioning adherence to such a system. Is the prosperity of modern, industrial society worth such a cost, such a cruel compulsion of robot like work? If the production of cars - mere machines - necessitates such a sacrifice of human freedom, just what does this say about the paradox of modern civilisation.’ (Satoshi Kamata, 1982: viii. Japan in the Passing Lane.)
Advocacy ethnography, a.k.a. ‘critical, ‘political’ or ‘standpoint’ ethnography, is concerned with more than simply generating knowledge and understanding of organizational cultures, how organisations work and how they are experienced. Its raison d’être is to foreground the “paradox” of capitalist social relations of, and social relations in, production (Burawoy, 1985). Research of this kind has been conduced in almost all advanced industrial countries for the best part of a century. Yet, none, it seems, has had much if any real effect on the condition and values that create and sustain the reproduction of organizational inequalities and exploitation. As Parker (2000) pointed out over a decade ago, there is no evidence to suggest CMS has had any impact beyond the academy – or within the academy. What does this say about CMS and its ‘emancipatory’ intent, and, moreover, ‘advocacy’ ethnography’ as a key critical methods of enquiry?
This stream invites papers on the theory and practice of ‘advocacy ethnography’. We are particularly interested in receiving submissions that examine what has been learned from and achieved through past and present ‘advocacy ethnographies’, and how and to what extent, as Wray-Bliss (2000) argues our research could and should be used to play a more meaningful political role in sensitising managers and their subordinates to the contradictions of current forms of work, organisation and management. Papers examining the contribution ethnography makes to critical management education (CME) and its potential relevance to management practice are also welcome. We would also like to encourage submissions that address the kinds of challenges qualitative researchers face, both in the field and the academy, in light of the constraints now placed on ethnographers through institutional ‘ethical approval’ requirements and the implication of this development for critical qualitative research. Papers that challenge the stream organisers’ somewhat provocative perspective on what we are suggesting ought be the primary (not sole) aim and purpose of ethnography in CMS from any particular theoretical or conceptual standpoint, are also welcome.
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*All submissions to this stream will automatically be considered for inclusion in an edited book, ‘Advocacy Ethnography and CMS’, to be published in 2014 by the stream organisers as part of the forthcoming research methods series: ‘Issues in Contemporary Ethnographic Research’.
Series Editors: Professor Ossie Jones (ULMS), Professor John Van Maanen (MIT) and Dr. Frank Worthington (ULMS)
Publishers: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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Submission of Abstracts
Please send abstracts to:
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Abstracts should be between 500-1000 words in length, A4 paper, single spaced, 12 point 'Times New Roman' font.
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 31st January 2013.
Notification of paper acceptance: 22nd February 2013.
Full papers will be required by: 1st May 2013.
Your abstract should include:
- Title
- The aims of the paper
- A brief outline of the key questions and argument
- How the paper will contribute to the theme
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Burawoy M. (1985) The Politics of Production. Verso. London.
Kamata, S. (1983) Japan in the Passing Lane: An Insider's Account of Life in a Japanese Auto Factory. London: Allan & Unwin
Parker, M. (2000) Against Management. Sage. London
Wray-Bliss, E. (2002) Abstract Ethics, embodied Ethics: The Strange Marriage of Foucault and Positivism in Labour Process Theory. Organization Volume 9 (1): 5-39
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Dr. Frank Worthington
Senior Lecturer in Management
University of Liverpool Management School
Chatham Street
Liverpool, L69 7ZH
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 0151-795-3824 / 3610
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"The hardest thing of all in life is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.” (Confucius)
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