With apologies for cross postings.
3rd International Critical Management Studies Conference
Lancaster University, UK. 7 � 9 July 2003
First Call for Papers
Stream � Silence and Voice in Organizational Life
We must consider �speech before it is spoken, the background of silence
which does not cease to surround it and without which it would say
nothing� (Merleau-Ponty, 1964: 46).
This conference stream invites papers and interactive sessions from
those
wishing to explore, in a critical way, the relationship and impact of
silence and voice on organizing.
Within Organization Studies we most readily attend to the concept and
practices of �voice� and to our ability to express ourselves as
individuals, members of organizations and society. Comparatively less
attention has been given to the notion of �silence�, to the practices of
silence, and to the relationship between silence and voice. Yet silence
can be thought of in many ways; as emptiness and fullness, presence and
absence, awareness and unawareness, surveillance and cooperation,
dissent
and assent, reclusiveness and companionship, energy and rest,
consciousness and expression, action and inaction, voice and lack of
voice. As conceptually rich activities, both silence and voice have a
major impact on how we live our lives and create meaning.
In this Stream, we will engage in an exploration of the ways in which
silence/voice and silencing/voicing are expressed, how they relate to
critique and inclusivity, and the implications for individuals,
organizations and critical theorizing. General themes may include the
significance of voice and/or silence, particular issues about which we
may choose to speak or remain silent, or pressures to speak or remain
silent. Topics may cover any aspects of organizational life (for
example, culture, change, relationships, policy making, technology) in
addition to research, pedagogy, and practice.
Papers may explore the interplay of silence and voice from many
perspectives: marxist, postmodernist, critical theory, interpretivist,
linguistic, post-colonial theory, social constructionist, feminist, neo-
institutionalist, governance, environmentalist etc. They may also
explore
ontological, epistemological, and literal aspects of silence and voice.
We especially encourage interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary papers
from sociology, political science, public administration, history,
education, philosophy, organization studies, and others. Given the
theme,
we will encourage dialogue through a variety of presentation forms,
including interactive sessions.
Possible areas for critical inquiry may include:
- Whose silence and whose voice?
- How is silence voice and voice silence?
- How may silence and voice express and construct modes of being, both
social, organizational, and what may be the relevance for power
relations?
- Are silence and voice representations of self-other?
- The legitimation of silence and voice.
- Can critique be considered voice, silence, or both? Similarly, can
inclusivity both silence and voice?
- Are silence and voice forms of communication, coercion, resistance,
and/or emancipation?
- What are the processes and consequences of silence and voice?
Prospective contributors should send an abstract of 1000 - 1500 words,
via email, to Ann Cunliffe by October 18, 2002. Acceptance decisions
will be communicated by December 13, 2002. Full papers will be due by
April 15, 2003.
Stream Conveners:
Ann L. Cunliffe, Department of Public Administration, California State
University, Hayward, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward, CA 94542-3040, USA
Tel: (510) 885 2268, Fax: (510) 885 3726, email:
acunliff@csuhayward.edu
Jeanie M. Forray, Department of Management, Western New England College,
1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01119, USA Tel: 413-782-1702, Fax:
(413) 796 2068, email:
jforray@wnec.edu
Yvonne Benschop, University of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9108, Nijmegen 6500 HK
Netherlands. Phone: 31-24-3613007 Fax: 31-24-3611933 Email:
Y.Benschop@nsm.kun.nl
Third International Critical Management Studies Conference website:
http://www.cms3.org
Ann L. Cunliffe
Assistant Professor
Department of Public Administration
California State University, Hayward
Hayward, CA 94542
Tel: (510) 885 2268