Obesity in organizational context
(2014) In Human Relations 67(5). p.565-585- Abstract
- This article argues that obesity is an overlooked topic that deserves to be investigated in organizational studies, in line with the recent interest in embodiment. Obesity plays a pervasive role in everyday organizational life as a source of discrimination, legitimization of power differentials and widespread anxiety even for the non-obese. Obesity is also a thoroughly organized phenomenon. It is increasingly construed as a medical and societal problem and the target of massive efforts to curb the 'obesity epidemic'. These include workplace health initiatives that offer opportunities for empirical access to otherwise elusive phenomena related to obesity. To substantiate its claims, the article relates research from several fields, notably... (More)
- This article argues that obesity is an overlooked topic that deserves to be investigated in organizational studies, in line with the recent interest in embodiment. Obesity plays a pervasive role in everyday organizational life as a source of discrimination, legitimization of power differentials and widespread anxiety even for the non-obese. Obesity is also a thoroughly organized phenomenon. It is increasingly construed as a medical and societal problem and the target of massive efforts to curb the 'obesity epidemic'. These include workplace health initiatives that offer opportunities for empirical access to otherwise elusive phenomena related to obesity. To substantiate its claims, the article relates research from several fields, notably critical obesity research and empirical studies of embodiment in organizations. It points at intriguing combinations of ubiquitous social influence and failed campaigns, of subjugation and resistance, and of prejudice and critical reflection. Finally, the article indicates directions for future research, which could fruitfully apply and further develop the late-Foucauldian themes of governmentality and technologies of the self. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4470092
- author
- Levay, Charlotta LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- organization, technologies of the self, obesity, governmentality, body
- in
- Human Relations
- volume
- 67
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 565 - 585
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000335940900003
- scopus:84898688123
- ISSN
- 0018-7267
- DOI
- 10.1177/0018726713496831
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 126eba4d-efc9-4522-8a8f-7bbcbed28acf (old id 4470092)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:06:11
- date last changed
- 2022-04-05 00:05:35
@article{126eba4d-efc9-4522-8a8f-7bbcbed28acf,
abstract = {{This article argues that obesity is an overlooked topic that deserves to be investigated in organizational studies, in line with the recent interest in embodiment. Obesity plays a pervasive role in everyday organizational life as a source of discrimination, legitimization of power differentials and widespread anxiety even for the non-obese. Obesity is also a thoroughly organized phenomenon. It is increasingly construed as a medical and societal problem and the target of massive efforts to curb the 'obesity epidemic'. These include workplace health initiatives that offer opportunities for empirical access to otherwise elusive phenomena related to obesity. To substantiate its claims, the article relates research from several fields, notably critical obesity research and empirical studies of embodiment in organizations. It points at intriguing combinations of ubiquitous social influence and failed campaigns, of subjugation and resistance, and of prejudice and critical reflection. Finally, the article indicates directions for future research, which could fruitfully apply and further develop the late-Foucauldian themes of governmentality and technologies of the self.}},
author = {{Levay, Charlotta}},
issn = {{0018-7267}},
keywords = {{organization; technologies of the self; obesity; governmentality; body}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{5}},
pages = {{565--585}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Human Relations}},
title = {{Obesity in organizational context}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0018726713496831}},
doi = {{10.1177/0018726713496831}},
volume = {{67}},
year = {{2014}},
}