Hardback
Organizing Hope
Narratives for a Better Future
9781788979436 Edward Elgar Publishing
Crumbling social institutions, disintegrating structures, and a profound sense of uncertainty are the signs of our time. In this book, this contemporary crisis is explored and illuminated, providing narratives that suggest how the notion of hope can be leveraged to create powerful methods of organizing for the future. Chapters first consider theoretical and philosophical perspectives on hopeful organizing, followed by both empirical discussions about achieving change and more imaginative narratives of alternative and utopian futures, including an exploration of the differing roles of work, creativity, idealism, inclusivity and activism.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Crumbling social institutions, disintegrating structures, and a profound sense of uncertainty are the signs of our time, stemming from a situation in which traditional systems are dying but the new cannot yet be born. In this timely book, this contemporary crisis is explored and illuminated, providing narratives that suggest how the notion of hope can be leveraged to create powerful methods of organizing for the future, in communities, workplaces and businesses.
In response to the increasing attention being paid to the shocking seriousness of the current state of the world, this innovative book offers a variety of ways of bringing hope into a situation otherwise defined by hopelessness, following a tradition of radical dissent by public intellectuals such as Zygmunt Bauman and Vaclav Havel. Chapters first consider theoretical and philosophical perspectives on hopeful organizing, followed by both empirical discussions about achieving change and more imaginative narratives of alternative and utopian futures, including an exploration of the differing roles of work, creativity, idealism, inclusivity and activism.
Organizing Hope will be a critical and thought-provoking read for researchers and students of organization theory and sociology, as well as other social sciences. Politicians, policy makers and other decision makers in government will also find the book insightful and useful.
In response to the increasing attention being paid to the shocking seriousness of the current state of the world, this innovative book offers a variety of ways of bringing hope into a situation otherwise defined by hopelessness, following a tradition of radical dissent by public intellectuals such as Zygmunt Bauman and Vaclav Havel. Chapters first consider theoretical and philosophical perspectives on hopeful organizing, followed by both empirical discussions about achieving change and more imaginative narratives of alternative and utopian futures, including an exploration of the differing roles of work, creativity, idealism, inclusivity and activism.
Organizing Hope will be a critical and thought-provoking read for researchers and students of organization theory and sociology, as well as other social sciences. Politicians, policy makers and other decision makers in government will also find the book insightful and useful.
Critical Acclaim
‘A roller-coaster of emotion. A trans-disciplinary book full of questions about whether we dare to hope, what future is possible, and what we as readers need to go through to reach it. Importantly, alternative futures for institutions and communities are considered.’
– Alison Pullen, Macquarie University, Australia
‘At a time in history when global political and corporate power elites seem hell-bent on leading us down an escalating path of economic inequality and environmental doom, hope can appear quaint. Railing against such defeatism, Daniel Ericsson and Monika Kostera have gathered together a group of authors who dare to imagine alternatives to that which is too often experienced as incontrovertible. They have produced an important book that not only interprets the world around us, but professes the radical idea that it might be changed for the better.’
– Carl Rhodes, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
– Alison Pullen, Macquarie University, Australia
‘At a time in history when global political and corporate power elites seem hell-bent on leading us down an escalating path of economic inequality and environmental doom, hope can appear quaint. Railing against such defeatism, Daniel Ericsson and Monika Kostera have gathered together a group of authors who dare to imagine alternatives to that which is too often experienced as incontrovertible. They have produced an important book that not only interprets the world around us, but professes the radical idea that it might be changed for the better.’
– Carl Rhodes, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Contributors
Contributors: G. Cairns, C. Ciupke, S. Clegg, M. Ćwikła, D. Ericsson, A. Góral, M. Izak, M. Kallifatides, M. Kostera, W. Küpers, R. Longman, K. Matyjaszkowicz, J. G. McClellan, A. Milczarczyk, A. Morgan, T. Padan, M. Parker, R. Paulsen, M. Pina e Cunha, M. Połeć, A. Rego, A.V. Simpson, A. Strauß, J. Vaughan, K.E. Weick
Contents
Contents:
Prologue by Anke Strau. and Christina Ciupke
Introduction: Organizing hope: Narratives for a better future 1
Daniel Ericsson and Monika Kostera
PART ONE PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEORETICAL
INSPIRATIONS
1 Hopeful organizing in the crucible of the interregnum 15
Karl E. Weick
2 Alternative futures: ‘Hope is a thing with feathers’ 19
Martin Parker
3 The utopian quest for an alternative 30
Roland Paulsen
4 Epimethean hope or Promethean expectation? The role of
organisational behaviour 37
John Vaughan
5 Transforming work into “play”: Genuine conversations as hope
for meaningful organizational change 49
John G. McClellan
6 Hope in business organizing for societal progress: Three
narratives 61
Stewart Clegg, Ace Volkmann Simpson, Miguel Pina e Cunha,
and Arm.nio Rego
7 Post-Pandoran hope for moving wisely beyond the neo-
Promethean Anthropocene 72
Wendelin Küpers
PART TWO EMPIRICAL AND IMAGINATIVE INSPIRATIONS
8 ‘Hope-full purpose’: Time, oblivion, and the strange attractors
of Pandora’s box 85
Richard Longman
9 Against organization – farewell to hope? 96
George Cairns
10 Idealists and dreamers: Struggling for more resilient
communities via alternative organisations 108
Anna G.ral
11 Cadriste (R)Evolution 120
Markus Kallifatides
12 The hope of discomfort: Using democratic citizenship
education for transformative learning 132
Tali Padan
13 Technologies of the commune: A bridge over troubled water? 142
Daniel Ericsson
14 “Dad, Do Not Cry”: Imagination and creativity on their own
terms in inclusive cities and communities 153
Agata Morgan
15 Street performances in hope for the future of the urban sphere:
Human interaction, self-realization and emotive enactment 166
Marta Połeć
16 There is hope in organizing: Dialogic imagination against
linearity 176
Michał Izak and Monika Kostera
17 Good labour: Affirmative work awareness and hope 188
Małgorzata Ćwikła
18 Actors of goodness and hope in action 199
Aneta Milczarczyk
Postscript: Avalanche 210
Karolina Matyjaszkowicz
References 212
Index 241
Prologue by Anke Strau. and Christina Ciupke
Introduction: Organizing hope: Narratives for a better future 1
Daniel Ericsson and Monika Kostera
PART ONE PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEORETICAL
INSPIRATIONS
1 Hopeful organizing in the crucible of the interregnum 15
Karl E. Weick
2 Alternative futures: ‘Hope is a thing with feathers’ 19
Martin Parker
3 The utopian quest for an alternative 30
Roland Paulsen
4 Epimethean hope or Promethean expectation? The role of
organisational behaviour 37
John Vaughan
5 Transforming work into “play”: Genuine conversations as hope
for meaningful organizational change 49
John G. McClellan
6 Hope in business organizing for societal progress: Three
narratives 61
Stewart Clegg, Ace Volkmann Simpson, Miguel Pina e Cunha,
and Arm.nio Rego
7 Post-Pandoran hope for moving wisely beyond the neo-
Promethean Anthropocene 72
Wendelin Küpers
PART TWO EMPIRICAL AND IMAGINATIVE INSPIRATIONS
8 ‘Hope-full purpose’: Time, oblivion, and the strange attractors
of Pandora’s box 85
Richard Longman
9 Against organization – farewell to hope? 96
George Cairns
10 Idealists and dreamers: Struggling for more resilient
communities via alternative organisations 108
Anna G.ral
11 Cadriste (R)Evolution 120
Markus Kallifatides
12 The hope of discomfort: Using democratic citizenship
education for transformative learning 132
Tali Padan
13 Technologies of the commune: A bridge over troubled water? 142
Daniel Ericsson
14 “Dad, Do Not Cry”: Imagination and creativity on their own
terms in inclusive cities and communities 153
Agata Morgan
15 Street performances in hope for the future of the urban sphere:
Human interaction, self-realization and emotive enactment 166
Marta Połeć
16 There is hope in organizing: Dialogic imagination against
linearity 176
Michał Izak and Monika Kostera
17 Good labour: Affirmative work awareness and hope 188
Małgorzata Ćwikła
18 Actors of goodness and hope in action 199
Aneta Milczarczyk
Postscript: Avalanche 210
Karolina Matyjaszkowicz
References 212
Index 241
