Wendy Parkin

Sex at work : the power and paradox of organisation sexuality

Discusses sexuality and power in the context of the organization and the workplace. Part I introduces key concepts and contributions in the study of sexuality and organizational life. Part II focuses on questions of power and dialectics. Part III describes the paradoxical occurrence of the qualities of organization and sexuality. This revised editi

Cultures of Abuse within Residential Child Care.

This paper outlines the findings from and implications of recent research into residential childcare establishments. It is conducted with an initial primary focus on the handling and manifestation of sexuality and sexual abuse issues within residential childcare settings ‐‐ predominantly childrens homes. It also aims to explore the features and cultures of residential settings which could contribute to abusive practices. Although the main emphasis is the exploration of sexuality, there will be illustration of the ways in which sexual abuse is inextricably linked with other abusive practices. The analysis and conclusions are based on approximately ninety interviews with respondents associated with various residential child care settings and ex‐residents, as well as intensive research utilising ethnographic techniques and documentary analysis in two settings. The paper will initially contextualize the research by providing a brief illustrative background including theoretical issues around sexuality in org...

Organisations, violations and their silencing

Organizations have long been portrayed as rational, unemotional and neutral entities. However, recent research has shown the significance of violence, emotions and gender in and around organizations. For instance, Hearn and Parkin (1995) demonstrated the power and paradox of ‘organization sexuality’ — the interconnection between gender, power and sexuality and its pervasive influence in supposedly agendered, asexual rational worlds. Organizations, however, are not only sexualized and gendered. Emotions, though often not formally acknowledged, are ever-present in organizations (Flam 1990; 1993; 2000; Fineman 1993; 2000; 2007; Gabriel 1993; 1995). Academic, policy and workplace resistance literature has pointed to a frequent structural co-occurrence of violence, gender relations and emotions in and around organizations (Kondo 1990; Jermier et al. 1994; O’Toole/Schiffman 1997; Hearn 1998; 2003; Heise et al. 2002; WHO 2002; Ferguson et al. 2004).

Child abuse, social theory and everyday state practices

This paper engages with social theory and everyday state practices in relation to child abuse. It considers some of the problems of describing the definition and incidence of child abuse, and some of the uncertainties and issues of practice in the state.