9th Biennial International Interdisciplinary conference, 29th June-1st July, 2016
Keele University, UK
GWO2016 Call for Abstracts
Methodologies: extending gender and organization scholarship
Stream Conveners
Irene Ryan, AUT University, NEW ZEALAND
Barbara Myers, AUT University, NEW ZEALAND
Shelagh Mooney, AUT University, NEW ZEALAND
Judith Pringle, AUT University, NEW ZEALAND
Regine Bendl, Vienna University of Economics and Business, AUSTRIA
Angelika Schmidt, Vienna University of Economics and Business, AUSTRIA
“Not only does knowledge come in different forms, the forms of its creation differ.” (Eisner, 2008, p.5)
The knotty relationship between gender and organisations has been the subject of much research
(Kumra, Simpson and Burke, 2014). This stream provides a platform to address an important and
timely question: how can innovative and/or emerging research methodologies reinvigorate and extend
understanding of the continuing reproduction of gender inequities in organizational processes and
practices? Feminist scholars (Lewis and Simpson, 2012) have noted a trend towards ‘gender denial’
with paid work organisations viewed as meritocracies and places of equal opportunity. There is a need
to look at systemic problems in new ways (Acker, 2012). In this stream we wish to engage scholars in
conversations of different methodologies that investigate ‘what else’ underpins and perpetuates gender
inequalities in paid work. How can we add other investigative ‘tools’ to better address the “changing
contours of inequality”? (Calas, Smircich and Holvino, 2014, p.44).
Many methodologies have been used in the herstory of gender research but more are emerging,
especially within qualitative and non-positivist genres. Using participants’ own words has been
particularly significant when studying women’s stories, ensuring that their experiences are no longer
invisible (Simpson and Lewis, 2007). Narrative inquiry has been used increasingly by researchers to
connect individual lives to organizations (Clandinin, 2007; Denzin and Lincoln, 2011). There are no
set procedures for gathering, analyzing and presenting narratives (Bold, 2012) providing the
opportunity for a variety of methodological approaches such as autobiography, autoethnography,
biography, case history/study, ethnography, life history, life story and oral history to record, interpret
and present individual stories.
More recently, “dissatisfaction with the limits of traditional forms of academic inquiry and
representation” (Carless and Douglas, 2011, p.440) has led some researchers to embrace ‘artsinformed inquiry’. Such work explores the hidden experiences traditional methods are unable to reach
(Leggo, 2008; Kendall and Murray, 2004). A further step in creative methodology draws on poetry,
song writing and the presentation of these in a performative context (Douglas 2012).
Multimodality represents another emergent methodology in organizational studies (Kress, 2010).
While discourse studies have tended to privilege the written and spoken word over other modes of
communication the importance of the visual mode has been identified for some time (Potter, 1996).
For example, Pritchard and Whiting (2015, pp. 1) use the ‘visual analysis of gendered ageing’ to
explore intersections of gender and age. Communication modes such as blogs, social media and virtual
communities also have the capacity to uncover rich layers of visual and textual meanings.
In addition to calling for papers on innovative methodologies, we also welcome papers that discuss the
constraints that researchers may face when servicing a dual agenda. Reflexivity is a cornerstone of a
feminist epistemology (Alvesson and Skoldberg, 2012), and to be reflexive places the role of
researchers under increased scrutiny requiring consciousness of the values, and agendas they bring to
the research (Hesse-Biber and Leavy, 2006). This stream provides a space to disclose the messier
realities and dilemmas of our fieldwork. For example, how can we package feminist research in a way
that is acceptable to research participants and their organizations? How do research stakeholders such
as funding bodies and organizations influence the way in which we gather, process data and report the
findings? How do emergent technologies that blur the boundaries between public and private
information impact on the ethics of feminist research (Hesse-Biber and Piatelli, 2014). Given research
relationships are reciprocal, the extent to which the researchers may find themselves changed by the
research is a worthy area of further investigation.
We encourage conceptual, theoretical and empirical papers from all researchers (doctoral, early career,
mid-career and senior academics) that engage in methodologies that craft research in different or new
ways to investigate inequality regimes (Acker, 2006). As feminist researchers focussed on gender in
organizations, we question the extent to which our research is contributing to changing inequality
(Calas, Smircich and Holvino, 2014). We invite others to join our methodological discussions, thus
“gendering the silences” (Lowe, Mills and Mullen, 2002, p.422) and further challenging the
androcentric bias of traditional social science research (Reinharz and Chase, 2002).
Abstracts of approximately 500 words (submitted direct to barbara.myers@aut.ac.nz AND
irene.ryan@aut.ac.nz) on ONE page, Word document NOT PDF, single spaced, excluding references,
no header, footers or track changes) are invited by 1st November 2015 with decisions on acceptance to
be made by stream leaders within one month. Abstracts can be submitted independently of streams
but may be assigned to them where appropriate. Prospective contributions will be independently
referred. Abstracts should include FULL contact details, including your name, institutional affiliation,
mailing address, and e-mail address.
If your abstract is accepted for this stream authors are encouraged to submit a developmental or full
paper (5,000 to 7,000 words excluding references) by Monday 6th June. These papers will be
circulated to stream participants prior to the 2016 GWO conference.
Key words: methodologies, gender, intersectionality, inequalities, feminist, masculinities
References
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464.
Acker J (2012) Gendered organizations and intersectionality: Problems and possibilities. Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion: An International Journal, 31(3), 214–224.
Alvesson M and Skoldberg K (2012) Reflexive Methodology: New Vistas for Qualitative Research. Second
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Bold C (2012) Using narrative in research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Calas M, Smircich L and Holvino E (2014) Theorizing gender-and-organization: Changing times, changing
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