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Desiring Agency

Cederström, Carl LU and Willmott, Hugh (2007) In Working Paper Series 3.
Abstract
In this paper we explore the relation between agency and the (pathological) inclinations that lurk beneath the agent’s acts. We draw on the work of Jacques Lacan to argue that an adequate understanding of agency demands attentiveness to desires, the unconscious and the intimate relation between the subject and the Other. Based on some of the key features of the Lacanian subject we suggest agency to be (1) symbolic, (2) imaginary, or (3) ethical. This typology of agency, we argue, has far-reaching implications for social analysis in which we include the project of critical management studies.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Lacan, desire, agency, ethics, resistance
in
Working Paper Series
volume
3
publisher
Lund Institute of Economic Research
ISSN
1103-3010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e6110f8b-5e89-4c50-a14b-a4d8a816f2e3 (old id 617857)
alternative location
http://www.lri.lu.se/en/publications/workingpapers
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:01:28
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:38:09
@misc{e6110f8b-5e89-4c50-a14b-a4d8a816f2e3,
  abstract     = {{In this paper we explore the relation between agency and the (pathological) inclinations that lurk beneath the agent’s acts. We draw on the work of Jacques Lacan to argue that an adequate understanding of agency demands attentiveness to desires, the unconscious and the intimate relation between the subject and the Other. Based on some of the key features of the Lacanian subject we suggest agency to be (1) symbolic, (2) imaginary, or (3) ethical. This typology of agency, we argue, has far-reaching implications for social analysis in which we include the project of critical management studies.}},
  author       = {{Cederström, Carl and Willmott, Hugh}},
  issn         = {{1103-3010}},
  keywords     = {{Lacan; desire; agency; ethics; resistance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Working Paper}},
  publisher    = {{Lund Institute of Economic Research}},
  series       = {{Working Paper Series}},
  title        = {{Desiring Agency}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4545775/617993.pdf}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}