Keynote Speakers

 

                                    George Marcus                                                       Linda Putnam

                              University of California, Irvine                              University of California, Santa Barbara

 

 

“There are no new ideas and none on the horizon, as well as no indication that …[the] traditional stock of knowledge shows any sign of revitalization…”  (Marcus, 2008: 3)

 

Writing Culture and Anthropology as Cultural Critique (1986) drew attention to the ‘crisis of representation’ occurring in social and cultural anthropology by questioning the ways in which ethnographies are written and read, disrupting the fixities through which ethnographers view fieldwork, and reflexively critiquing their relationship with ‘others’.  Yet twenty years on, George Marcus observed that little has changed.  Despite radical departures in some of the social sciences - variously termed textual, linguistic, reflexive, narrative, symbolic and aesthetic turns - functionalist methodologies still dominate, especially in management and organization studies. Whilst there has been some experimentation with novel methods, too often these have been incorporated into a heuristic kitbag and used to enhance rather than destabilize classical ways of theorizing and writing. Following Marcus, we think that the question of method can provide a pivot for reorienting and refocusing – reimagining – the disciplines that comprise the organization and management field.

 

This conference has two purposes.  The first is to recognize the significance of the legacy of the work of George Marcus since the 80’s, and revisit its contemporary relevance for the fields of organization studies and organizational communication. We are interested in exploring ‘good ideas’, ways of revitalizing knowledge, and different ways of ‘seeing’ organizations and management through a qualitative lens. The second is to carry forward the initiative of QRM 2008, to create a space where qualitative scholars doing research in, on and around organizations using a multiplicity of methods, voices and ways of writing, can exchange ideas and engage in critical discussion.

 

We are interested in papers, panels and innovative sessions that explore the philosophical, theoretical and practical aspects of qualitative approaches to researching organizational life.  We encourage contributions from a range of disciplines including but not limited to management and organization studies, accounting, marketing, communications, cultural studies, information and decision sciences, sociology, psychology, education, health and public administration.  Papers may explore the ontological and epistemological as well as methodological and practical aspects of qualitative research from a variety of perspectives.

 

Papers addressing the conference theme directly – including such concerns as interdisciplinarity, collaboration and the changing nature of “otherness” in research - are particularly welcome.

 

Prospective contributors should send an abstract of up to 500 words, via email, to Ann Cunliffe at [log in to unmask] by November 20th, 2009.

 

Conference organizers and contact information:

 

Ann L Cunliffe                                                Stephen A Linstead                          Karen Locke

Anderson School of Management, USA             The York Management School, UK     College of William and Mary, USA

Hull University Business School                                 [log in to unmask]                 [log in to unmask]

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