Denna kurs ges på engelska.
How does power and politics relate to the business and protection of human rights, and how does power and politics ‘happen’ in organizations? In what ways do power and politics combine to exclude/marginalize some organizational members and agents, whilst including/serving the interest of others?
Drawing on sociology, politics, philosophy and history, our understanding of power and politics in Management and Organization Studies (MOS) has become more nuanced. Corporate power has traditionally been an obstacle for realizing human rights, and Business of Human Rights (BHR) scholars have traditionally not devoted much attention to the extent and forms of corporate power. Organizations are not only economic and social but also political actors with lots of power, increasingly involved in public activities and tasks addressing “grand challenges” and promoting human rights. This course analyzes the multiple ways in which organizations may observe and promote human rights – or fail to do so – through the lenses of power and politics.
Learning goals:
After completing the course, students will be better able to:
- Independently discuss central theories on power and politics in Management and Organization Studies (MOS) that are relevant from a Business of Human Rights (BHR) perspective
- Identify power and politics in BHR practices
- Independently apply theories on power and politics to analyze real-life practices and solve BHR-related problems in organizations
Teacher and contact:
Teacher: Ingrid Biese (ingrid.biese@abo.fi)