Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
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together. Educati<strong>on</strong>al work is relati<strong>on</strong>al (Wit, 2013). It would be unwise and it even<br />
proofed to be an illusi<strong>on</strong> - am<strong>on</strong>gst others by the incessant dissatisfacti<strong>on</strong> - that there<br />
is some way of programming social reality by means of plans, procedures, programmes<br />
or whatever tools and techniques are used. Plans, programmes and whatever tools<br />
and techniques which are used, are part of our c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>s, however being part of a<br />
c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong> is really something else as programming the c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>s or an output.<br />
It is tempting for me as an adviser to draw rather far reaching c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s about the<br />
impact of <strong>performativity</strong>, the struggles with the c<strong>on</strong>sequences of <strong>performativity</strong> and<br />
the need of provisi<strong>on</strong>s to tackle these. To prevent drawing easily far reaching c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
it is wise to take <strong>performativity</strong>, corporate jestership and time for interrupti<strong>on</strong><br />
together to shed some light <strong>on</strong> what advisory work could be in 2014.<br />
7.4 Advisory work in times of rumbling <strong>on</strong> <strong>performativity</strong><br />
Weren’t we all there? Aren’t we all there? By pointing towards the c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
character of our social reality I am also indicating that everybody is involved, has some<br />
sort of resp<strong>on</strong>sibility and is in some sort of way powerful. If not, everyday educati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
reality would look much like the blueprints as designed <strong>on</strong> the desks of educati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
science, civil servants and politicians and obediently be implemented and managed by<br />
members of the board and all sorts of managers. Not to speak of the docile way members<br />
of staff would carry out their duties. What a brave new world that would be!<br />
However, as can be seen, in everyday reality we are struggling - muddling through<br />
(Lindblom, 1959) - with what is demanded by the cult value of <strong>performativity</strong>. The cult<br />
value is an idealized norm to which particular situati<strong>on</strong>s relate (Mead, 1934). Performativity<br />
is a cult value originated by management c<strong>on</strong>sultants already some time ago<br />
(McKenna, 2006) and we struggle with it in relati<strong>on</strong> with what we already are, with<br />
what we find important and with we have learned to find decent.<br />
It is in this c<strong>on</strong>text that I again reflect up<strong>on</strong> my role as adviser. A reflecti<strong>on</strong> which will<br />
qualify again what I did and a reflecti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> what I or some other members of staff<br />
might do.<br />
Advisory work: the 2nd demise of a jestership<br />
In reflecting up<strong>on</strong> the narratives about identity management (chapter 4) and the<br />
drawing up of the performance agreements (chapter 5) the idea of a corporate jester<br />
emerged as a possible indicati<strong>on</strong> for the way I do my advisory work. Already in the<br />
narrative about the performance agreements the ir<strong>on</strong>ic or mocking interpretati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
jestership was complemented with ideas about mediating, c<strong>on</strong>necting and stabilizing<br />
efforts. This broader perspective <strong>on</strong> jestership emerged <strong>on</strong> the basis of an analysis and<br />
reflecti<strong>on</strong>s up<strong>on</strong> my acti<strong>on</strong>s as described. In the narrative about dissent (chapter 6) I<br />
was highly involved by breaking open some new perspectives <strong>on</strong> how to deal with dissent.<br />
7. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Rumbling</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>performativity</strong>: a reflexive perspective <strong>on</strong> advisory work | 189