Being practically critical: Re-imagining possibilities for CMS, challenging the idea of a conference and (re)building our community of communities

In an attempt to make a difference to the practice of work, Critical Management Studies (CMS) scholars are increasingly moving from negative critique to more affirmative engagement with ‘alternative’ practices of organization. This performative turn argues for more engaged forms of scholarship, offering affirmative solutions to managers and leaders. But this turn also broadens our focus to look at trade unions, women’s groups, social and environmental activists, the precarious and the unemployed and ways in which we all may propose alternatives to the status quo. Taking inspiration from these conversations, the theme of the 2023 ICMS conference relates to the practices of critique and the doing of critique with others.

This call for streams invites colleagues to help shape the 2023 ICMS Conference through proposing:

• Streams – bringing together scholars addressing a particular theme or phenomena
• Critical development workshops – developing critical scholars at any point in their careers
• Public engagement workshops/lectures
• Exhibitions/Installations

We encourage streams/workshops/events that problematize sedimented conferencing practices be it in form or content, hybrid formats (online/offline) are welcome and streams in different languages are possible. If you wish to lead an activity at ICMS2023 please submit a proposal of no more than 3 pages of text outlining the activity you wish to convene and detailing members of the convenor team by 6^th January 2023. We will provide full feedback by the 16th January. Submission for the conference will be the 31st March and we would like stream convenors to provide acceptances by the 14th April. The conference will run in Nottingham between the 20-22^nd June 2023.

We request that convenor teams are diverse with respect to gender, geographical background and academic age.

Please send your proposals and queries to ICMS2023@nottingham.ac.uk

The (critical) performative turn focuses attention on the International Critical Management Studies Conference itself as a key site in which critical scholars hone their craft. In the summer of 2023, in an attempt to “practice critique” and disengage from the fairly large industry that has been built up around conferencing in higher education, the ICMS Conference will be hosted in various spaces around the city of Nottingham, not solely within a particular university. We look forward to having an opportunity to re-engage, support each other and, crucially, develop critical scholars.