Licence to kill? On the organization of destruction in the 21st century. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bloomfield, Brian P.; Burrell, Gibson; Vurdubakis, Theo
• Other Names: Bloomfield Brian guest-editor.; Burrell Gibson guest-editor.; Suchman Lucy guest-editor.; Vurdubakis Theodore guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Organization. Volume 24:Number 4(2017:Jul.)
• Page Start: 441
• Page End: 455
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Organized destruction -- organization -- warfare -- the military; Organizational sociology -- Periodicals; Organization -- Periodicals; 302.35
• DOI: 10.1177/1350508417700404
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-5084

Abstract

War, the organized destruction of human beings, of human lifeworlds and modes of livelihood, has long been regarded as outside the usual preoccupations of organization studies. And yet, as the various on-going "asymmetric wars" increasingly become the taken for granted background noise of contemporary life, this aloofness becomes difficult to maintain. This special issue then is an initial contribution to a long overdue conversation. By way of introduction to the articles that comprise the special issue this essay seeks to highlight some of the key connections between organization theory, forms of organized destruction and their ongoing mutations in the still young, but already quite bloody, 21 st century.