Discussion: View Thread

Gender, Work and Organization
5th International Interdisciplinary Conference
June 27-29, 2007
Keele

 

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

 Gendered Organization Theory
 
Stream conveners:
Regine Bendl, Dept. of Management, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria
Iris Koall, Department of Sociology, University of Dortmund, Germany
 
For some time now, many organizational scholars have ceased observing organizations and organizational theorizing as gender neutral, and have abandoned any hypotheses, which suggest that gender and organizational research are unconnected. Authors have described the development of gendered organizations as a field of study, placing this ‘new field of gendered organization’ as separate and distinct from both Organization Studies and Gender Studies. Disciplinary fragmentation and distinction, gender composition and practices, geographical distances associated with cultural differences in theoretical approaches and applied methods, as well as institutionalized academic professional practices and social networks, encourage a divergence rather than an integration of Organization Studies and Gender Studies. This new field of ‘gendered organization’ might include national, gender, and disciplinary inclusiveness, theoretical and methodical innovation, and an expansive stance on content, methods, theory, and approaches. From an epistemological perspective, this inclusiveness would collaborate not only across disciplinary boundaries and commit to national, gender, and disciplinary divides but would also be open to unorthodox, creative, and non-conventional work, both theoretically and methodologically, as well as being free of mainstream methodological and methodical constraints. This more inclusive organizational research, suggests criteria such as clarity, provocativeness, innovativeness, utility and insight, but not uniformity and consensus, as standards for `good’ gender-oriented work. As Martin and Collinson (2005:95) express it, “we need means of connecting – and communicating – across areas, regions, genders, fields and networks”. This stream invites papers reflecting on the field of ‘gendered organization theory’. The following list is indicative, although not exhaustive, of likely topics and questions to be addressed in the stream:
 
    Field of gendered organization theory – why do we need the field of gendered organization theory? What needs are addressed by a theory of gendered organization? What are the paradoxes and problems of acceptance of gendered organization theory as inclusive theory, but outside the mainstream?
    History and status quo of the field of gendered organization theory - in what way does the history of Feminist/Gender/Women’s Studies and Organization Studies influence the future of this new field?
    Limits/boundaries and problems of the field of gendered organization theory - How can differences be addressed, for example, in academic disciplines, gender composition and practices, geographies and spatial distance, theory/data discussions, constructionism versus positivism, institutional academic practices and social networks. How can disciplinary, political, theoretical and methodological barriers be transcended?
    Fragmentation and/or integration within the field of gendered organization theory How can diversity and inclusion be encouraged? Can national, gender and disciplinary inclusiveness be embraced alongside theoretical and methodical innovation and an expansive stance on content, methods, theory and approaches?
    Gender and organizational theory and practice - Why do organizations need gender? How do gender differences `keep organizations going’? If gender differences matter in theory and practice, how can we overcome, break, change them?
    Feminist Epistemologies and gendered practices - What epistemological approaches inform the field of gendered organization theory and how do they relate to each other? What gendered practices are needed to overcome binary gendered perspectives in theory and practice?
    Methodologies and methods within the field of gendered organization theory - What methodologies and methods inform the field of gendered organization theory?
    Transformational aspects of the field of gendered organization theory - Does gendered organization theory transform Gender Studies and Organization Studies? If so, in what directions and with what consequences?
    Regional diversity of the field of gendered organization theory – How do we connect and communicate in order to develop the field? What are the possible research strategies?
    Persons within the field of gendered organization theory – What are the effects of boundary maintenance, self-differentiation and identity construction on the development of gendered organization theory?
 
Abstracts should be one page, single space and of approximately 500 words (excluding any references) giving title of paper, keywords, contact details including your name, institutional affiliation, mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address. Submission date for abstracts is 20 November 2006. All abstracts will be peer reviewed. Please not that due to restrictions of space, multiple submissions by the same author will not be timetabled. New and young scholars with 'work in progress' papers are welcomed. Abstracts should be emailed to Regine Bendl ( Regine.Bendl@wu-wien.ac.at) and Iris Koall ( ikoall@fb12.uni-dortmund.de).
 
State the title of the stream to which you are submitting your abstract.