Call for Book Chapters
Working title - Purpose Washing and Woke Capitalism: The Stories Organizations Tell Us
Proposed Book Publisher: Springer
Our Editorial team seeks contributors to join us for this edited book with the working title “Purpose Washing and Woke Capitalism: The Stories Organizations Tell Us” . This volume aims to bring together theoretical and practical insights into the workings and vocabulary of purpose washing in organisations. To improve their reputation and achieve a competitive advantage, many organisations have adopted the rhetoric of social justice, diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability in recent years. However, they are unable to bridge the gap between rhetoric and action. This phenomenon has been termed 'purpose washing', and it raises important questions about the role of organizations in society, the ethics of corporate communication, and the potential for social change. It also questions the neoliberal logic of ‘progressive posturing’ by these organizations.
We welcome chapters that critically examine Organizations, including an investigation into their marketing, advertising, corporate structure, recruitment policies, DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies, ESG ( Environmental, Social and Governance) concerns to expand our understanding of green-washing, pink-washing, and white-washing and other areas of Woke capitalism. Through examining organizational case studies and using empirical and theoretical approaches, this volume aims to uncover the ways in which organizations use storytelling to promote their purpose-driven image and engage with contemporary social issues.
Possible audiences for this book include undergraduate and graduate students, especially cross-disciplinary scholars from the area of critical management, media and communication, public policy, political sciences, development studies, cultural studies and psychology. We are looking for papers that provide theoretical and empirical insights on the following (but not limited to) issues.
● Cross-cultural issues and purpose washing: How do cultural context and geography, or other broader social, political and economic issues, impact the push for a purpose-driven image?
● Types of organizations and purpose washing: Comparing and contrasting different kinds of organizations (size, type, structure). For example - between organizations operating in different sectors ( Energy, finance, FMCG etc. ) or organizations with different structures (Start-ups, MNCs, Governmental organizations)
● Storytelling and purpose washing: What effects do businesses' use of storytelling have on the general public's perception, stakeholder participation, and social movements? How do organisations develop and express their purpose-driven image?
● Counter-narratives and purpose washing: How can alternative storytelling approaches like participatory approaches challenge and transform purpose washing and woke capitalism, and what are the opportunities and limitations of these approaches?
● Ethical Issues in purpose washing: What are the ethical concerns associated with purpose washing and woke capitalism, and how can organizations and stakeholders address them?
We welcome contributions from academics and professionals working in a variety of fields, including but not limited to anthropology, management, marketing, sociology, communication and political science. We seek original research papers, theoretical essays and case studies that engage with the issues above and provide insights into the nuanced and dynamic interactions between organisational storytelling, woke capitalism, and purpose-washing.
Submission Guidelines: Authors are invited to submit an extended abstract (500 words) by 30th May 2023 to Shubhda Arora at shubhda.arora.30@gmail.com The abstract should clearly state the research question(s), theoretical and empirical background, methods, and expected contribution(s) to the volume.
Authors whose abstracts are accepted will be invited to submit a full chapter (8,000-10,000 words) by 30th October 2023. All submissions will be subject to a double-blind peer review process.
Timeline:
● Abstract submission deadline: 30th May 2023
● Notification of acceptance: 30th June 2023
● Full chapter submission deadline: 30th November 2023
● Review and revision period: December 2023 to June 2024
● Expected Publication: December 2024
