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.

Contributors include: G. Cairns, C. Ciupke, S. Clegg, M. Cwikla, D. Ericsson, A. Goral, M. Izak, M. Kallifatides, M. Kostera, W. Kupers, R. Longman, K. Matyjaszkowicz, J. G. McClellan, A. Milczarczyk, A. Morgan, T. Padan, M. Parker, R. Paulsen, M. Pina e Cunha, M. Polec, A. Rego, A.V. Simpson, A. Strauss, J. Vaughan, K.E. Weick

About the Author
Edited by Daniel Ericsson, Associate Professor, School of Business and Economics, Linnaeus University, Sweden and Monika Kostera, Professor Ordinaria, Faculty of Sociology and Faculty of Management, University of Warsaw, Poland and Soedertoern University, Sweden

Reviews
'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

Book Information
ISBN 9781788979436
Author Daniel Ericsson
Format Hardback
Page Count 264
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd