We are the Missing People: On posthumanist onto-epistemologies in Organization Studies

Abstract

This chapter is influenced by philosophical posthumanism (Ferrando, 2019; 2020), as a philosophy of mediation, and critical posthumanities (Braidotti, 2019), as a multi-layered alternative to the neoliberal governance of academic knowledge. It explores posthumanist ethico-onto-epistemologies and, in general, what the paradigm shifts from Eurocentric traditional hu-man thinking, knowing, acting, and being to rhizomic multi-directionality (Braidotti, 2019) may mean for organization studies (OS). Specifically, we seek to map studies of the “missing people” whose OS research concerns nonhuman animals. This body of research is part of the posthuman turn in knowledge creation within our discipline. In doing so, we hope to inspire others to think differently about who we are as humans in the process of becoming-with others, as we invite more individuals to join the movement, beyond this edited volume of scholars. Finally, we suggest some promising avenues for OS research that can help build further collaborations for the sake of multiplicity and peaceful planetary co-existence.