Hauntology

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Abstract

The term hauntology was first coined by Derrida, combining the words ontology and haunting to suggest that the living present is not as solid and autonomous as we tend to think. Derrida uses the figure of the ghost to introduce a nonlinear account of history and to explore the endurance of Marxism despite the supposed triumph of capitalist liberal democracy. This entry explains how hauntology can be a way to investigate the historical layers of organisations and how past values, habits, and forms of knowledge continue to linger. An interest in hauntology opens questions about how, when, and why something came to be placed outside the boundaries of what is seen as sensible, intelligible, or understandable. In this sense, hauntology can resonate strongly with CMS sensibilities.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationElgar Encyclopedia of Critical Management Studies
EditorsLeo McCann, Ödül Bozkurt, Rachael Finn, Edward Granter, Carolyn Hunter, Nina Kivinen, Arun Kumar, Brian Wierman
Number of pages3
Place of PublicationCheltenham
PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing
Publication date2025
Pages237–239
Chapter54
ISBN (Print)9781800377714
ISBN (Electronic)9781800377721
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2025
SeriesElgar Encyclopedias in Business and Management series

Keywords

  • Hauntology
  • Jacques Derrida
  • Nonlinear history
  • Time

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