Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon

Apparently bricoleurs are able to improvise, to combine different perspectives, have an
eye for significant details, avoid redundancy, tinker to find the useful, are able to work
on different targets and aim at good enough results (Gabriel, 2002). Therefore is
needed that a bricoleur has intimate knowledge or is familiar with the environment he
works in, has a network of relations, is able and versatile to work with unclear outcomes,
and assembles in unplanned ways his ideas and information (Duymedjian and
Ruling, 2010). Based on my research I would add that a bricoleur needs good - but not
too strong - relationships with a lot of people. He does not need only to know where
to find them, but also needs to find those who are willing to do some work with and
for him.
Although I recognize my way of acting in this list of skills, I miss the implicated sceptical
or ironic stance towards the importance of being serious. In my experience you
cannot tinker without toning down a lot of things which seem to be very important. In
a general sense in my case this scepticism can be recognized in toning down the
importance of an identity-management programme, and in trying to stay close to
what we did around the drawing up the performance agreements and not to overestimate
our capacity of planned reform. To enable discussions about dissent, hierarchy
was put in perspective. I even suppose that without an ironic attitude the whole idea
of needed interruption of rumbling on performativity would have not occurred to me.
In retrospect I conclude that as an adviser I was working as a bricoleur, however a
bricoleur with quite an ironical attitude towards control, planning and likelihood of
managing. Someone who rumbles on what seems to be evident. Without my belief in
the vanity of all sort of things I think I could not have enabled - in joint efforts with the
others involved - what now evolved as the outcome of discussions.
In demand: a neologism
A neologism is needed to unite the bricoleur with the corporate jester. A neologism in
which the tinkering and the irony are united to enable to interrupt business as usual,
to invite for reflection and for redefining social reality in its consequences.
Maybe this neologism will enable to appoint me to whatever it will bring, contrary to
the idea of appointing me as a corporate jester. However, I emphasize that this ‘bricoleur
with an ironic touch’ became apparent through my research in the UAS, not as
something that should be organized, but as something which is there and done.
Paradoxically a formal appointment seems to be redundant, unless other motives
emerge.
Time for interruption
A more interesting question is if the UAS is and keeps on being in need of this kind of
advisory work. I would say yes, given the emerged wish to prolong the discussions
about how to gain varying insights in what we are doing. I conclude that there is a
readiness - a courage - among most of the people involved in the discussions about
7. <strong>Rumbling</strong> on performativity: a reflexive perspective on advisory work | 191