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When fiction meets theory: Writing with voice, resonance, and an open end
Stockholm University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Stockholm Centre for Organizational Research (SCORE).ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2457-6448
2020 (English)In: Writing Differently / [ed] Alison Pullen, Jenny Helin, Nancy Harding, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2020, p. 113-129Chapter in book (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

In this chapter, we explore genre-blurring writing, where fiction meets theory, following the argument that texts in management and organisation studies suffer from the ‘textbook syndrome’. The stories that we tell through textbooks not only influence, but also set boundaries for, the way understandings are developed through the eyes of the reader. Often textbooks are written in a way that lead the reader into an idealised linear understanding of an organisation – far from the problems, dilemmas and messy everyday life that managers experience. Our discussion builds on previous literature on writing differently and our own experiences of writing a textbook by involving a professional novelist. Engaging in genre-blurring writing opens up how we think not only about writing, fiction and facts but also in our role as scientists. By situating ourselves, as researchers, at the intersection of fiction and the scientific work, not only new ways of writing, but also of thinking emerge. We discuss three aspects through which fiction challenge and develop our writing and thinking, namely to write with voice, resonance and an open end. Through genre-blurring writing, we create opportunities both to learn and to engage students in learning.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2020. p. 113-129
Series
Dialogues in Critical Management Studies, ISSN 2046-6072, E-ISSN 2046-6080 ; Vol. 4
Keywords [en]
fiction, fact, organisation studies, textbook, learning, writing
National Category
Other Social Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-180762DOI: 10.1108/S2046-607220200000004007ISBN: 978-1-83867-338-3 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-180762DiVA, id: diva2:1422997
Available from: 2020-04-12 Created: 2020-04-12 Last updated: 2022-02-26Bibliographically approved

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Grafström, MariaJonsson, Anna

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CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
  • apa
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  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
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  • de-DE
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  • nn-NB
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More languages
Output format
  • html
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