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Please join us for a workshop, "Explorations in Performativity: Rationality in Action." 

This PDW is one of an ongoing series, aimed at extending the community of scholars developing theory and research on performativity. Each has drawn on a variety of perspectives, including organization theory, strategy, and technology studies, to challenge and extend the discussion on performativity. This PDW will provide a forum for participants to reflect on the theme of rationality from the perspective of performativity. One central theme of all theoretical perspectives of performativity concerns how different modes of reasoning and justification are embedded in social and material practices-and we aim to reflect on this foundational topic.   

In the first part of the PDW, Arvind Karunakaran will present an empirical study on rationality in action, based on a multi-sited ethnography of a large police department (PD) and 911 emergency management center (EMC) in Northwestern United States. The study will examine how organizational efforts toward quantification shape occupational- and organizational- rationalities. Three senior scholars will then reflect on the topic of rationality from different perspectives: Joel Gehman will reflect on the study from the perspective of performativity and theorization; Paul Leonardi will discuss how technologies in organizations inform our understanding of how rationality emerges in action; and William Ocasio will reflect on the topic from the perspective of institutional logics. The presentations will be followed by a panel Q&A discussion and subsequently a breakout session. We hope that the PDW will provide an opportunity for performativity scholars to think about core topics in a new way, and an opportunity to build new connections both inside and outside the core community. We hope you'll be able to join us!