Introduction to Autoethnography

Prasad, Ajnesh

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-05099-3_1

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…This made it critical for us to be attentive to, as well as accountable for, how we occupied positions of power in the wider cultural context. For the authors, being self-reflexive meant being mindful of foregrounding the research participants’ own voices during the analysis and the writing components of this study (Bloom and Sawin, 2009; Prasad, 2019; Skeggs, 2004).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How is social inequality maintained in the Global South? Critiquing the concept of dirty work

Zulfiqar

Prasad

2022

Human Relations

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Extant research on dirty work—occupations involving physical, social or moral taint, which affect worker identities—has been read primarily through the lens of social identity theory (SIT). There are two notable shortcomings that emerge as a consequent of dirty work being too heavily reliant upon the precepts of SIT, which we seek to remedy in this article: (1) the overemphasis on the symbolic to the detriment of the material, which has led to false optimism regarding the ability for subjects doing dirty work to exercise agency in constructing their own sense of selves and, (2) the failure to substantively account for the role of identity differences, which suggests that empirical research on the phenomenon is devoid of proper historical and cultural contextualization. Drawing on a qualitive study on low-caste toilet cleaners in Pakistan, our findings were largely incongruous with the scholarly conceptualization of dirty work that has been propagated to date. We explicate the embedded role of power and context in dirty work, which are not adequately considered using SIT alone. Repudiating the overly romanticized version of the concept, we argue that SIT’s account of the concept ought to be complemented by social construction theory going forward.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How is social inequality maintained in the Global South? Critiquing the concept of dirty work

Zulfiqar

Prasad

2022

Human Relations

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“…Frequent “strikes, curfews and roadblocks”, have converted the entire region into a “virtual war zone” (Honig, 2001, p. 578; Muna and Khoury, 2012). Palestinian territories are separated due to military checkpoints, walls, settlements, security zones and other enforced occupation security measures (Khoury and Prasad, 2016; Prasad, 2014a, b, 2019). With all residents placed under close surveillance and monitoring which is enforced via paper and digital permits, ID cards, visas, evacuation orders, legal notices and other types of classifications (Abdelnour, 2013; Khoury and Prasad, 2016).…”

Section: Empirical Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This directed the authors toward the qualitative research method of autoethnography. Autoethnography is an unconventional method which belongs to the autobiographical genre of research writing, where individuals record detailed and systematic accounts of their experiences (Doloriet and Sambrook, 2012; Ellis, 1999; Hayano, 1979; Haynes, 2011; Ostentoski, 2015; Prasad, 2014a, b, 2019; Reed-Danahay, 1997; Sparkes, 2000). It is a valuable research method to explore, present and represent one-self (Haynes, 2011).…”

Section: Autoethnography: Self-reflexive Narrativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transforming employee resistance into organizational learning at a higher education institution in Palestine

Akella

Khoury

2022

QROM

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PurposeThis paper reconceptualizes resistance as a stimulant of organizational learning from a change agent's perspective. Adopting a social constructivism lens, the paper argues that employee resistance has the capacity to trigger individual, group and organizational learning. It explores the “how” question—how can employee resistance be transformed into organizational learning?Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes the qualitative research method of auto-ethnography. Sensemaking auto-ethnographic narrative accounts of two change agents, internal and external is used to synchronize resistance and learning as well as reflect on the positive impact of organizational change.FindingsRather than, suppressing resistance as a dysfunctional aspect of the change process, becoming aware and making sense of this “misconstrued barrier” to learning and change can transform it into an appropriate feedback mechanism to initiate organizational learning.Practical implicationsThis paper emphasizes the role of change agents in the change process and how their understanding of the culture, change recipients, organizational climate and work environment could increase the success of transforming resistance into learning. Collaboration through social interaction, communication, participation and awareness creation are utilized as effective mechanisms to develop a learning environment.Originality/valueThis research was carried out within an academic setting in a challenging context where not much is known about change initiatives and resistance at a university level.

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“…The second part of the book is exciting since it has stories of sex workers, including an autoethnography of one of the authors (Prasad, 2019). This section discusses the work-life considerations of the sex workers once they decide to leave brothels and move into non-sex work careers.…”

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confidence: 99%

Book Review: Sex and Stigma: Stories of Everyday Life in Nevada’s Legal Brothels by Sarah J. Blithe, Anna W. Wolfe, and Breanna Mohr

Wasdani¹

2020

Organization

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Is the decision to work in brothels made of free will? Can the work experiences in brothels be transferred to other occupations and, to what degree, can sex workers successfully integrate into society? These are some of the thought-provoking questions explored in the book, Sex, and Stigma: Stories of Everyday Life in Nevada's Legal Brothels.This book uses organizational principles and management theories to explore the secret lives of sex workers in the legal brothels of Nevada. A distinguishing feature of this book is that one of its authors (Breanna Mohr) is herself a sex worker. As such, she is in a position to provide first-hand accounts into the experiences of sex workers inside and outside of brothels.The book uses data collection methods that include life story interviews of five women who had left the industry. Additional interviews were conducted with those currently working as sex workers. This methodological approach made an engaging read with enriching conclusions. For Mohr herself, she acknowledges the emancipatory role this book project played in making sense of her own life. The very prospect of speaking about her life experiences and her career choices helped to remove the deeply embedded fears of disgrace and shame associated with her occupation and aided her in psychologically normalizing her job within the stigmatized profession.The book is divided into three parts, with three chapters constituting each part. The first part of the book lays the essential theoretical foundation of the prostitution business and the stigma associated with it. Besides offering a historical background of Nevada's legal brothels, this section addresses the divide between feminism and prostitution. The focus of this section is to nuance the perception of prostitution by showing that all cases of prostitution are not acts of injustice toward women. Prostitution can also be a profession made by choice because, among other things, it generates income while maintaining some balance between work and life. The book provides sufficient research support to clarify the misinformation that sex work can only be an act that is forced, and that entails trauma for those who engage in it. For instance, anti-trafficking organizations carry the unidimensional view that prostitution is, by its nature, exploitative. A career in prostitution can be an informed choice and not always a decision made out of desperation.The second part of the book is exciting since it has stories of sex workers, including an autoethnography of one of the authors (Prasad, 2019). This section discusses the work-life considerations of the sex workers once they decide to leave brothels and move into non-sex work careers. The skill sets acquired during careers in prostitution -such as selling skills, negotiating skills, social media and promotion skills, communication skills, creative direction (marketing skills), client management skills, event planning skills, and administration skills -are not easily transferrable to Book Reviews

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Introduction to Autoethnography

Cited by 4 publications

References 16 publications

How is social inequality maintained in the Global South? Critiquing the concept of dirty work

How is social inequality maintained in the Global South? Critiquing the concept of dirty work

Transforming employee resistance into organizational learning at a higher education institution in Palestine

Book Review: Sex and Stigma: Stories of Everyday Life in Nevada’s Legal Brothels by Sarah J. Blithe, Anna W. Wolfe, and Breanna Mohr

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