Rituals of critique and institutional maintenance at the United Nations climate change summits

Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

Authors

Particularly in governance and policy processes, critique is embedded in highly institutionalized formats. In this chapter, the authors apply Boltanski’s concept of critical tests to examine accepted forms of expression in the context of an institutionalized policy setting, the annual Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The authors find that different policy actors’ uses of critique reflect embedded field positions and interests. While marginal actors drew upon existential tests to construct radical critique, the highly ritualized performance of critique called into question its efficacy in promoting change within the overall structure of a highly institutionalized event. The authors discuss inroads to studying the relations between critique, power, and microfoundations of institutions.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMicrofoundations of Institutions
EditorsPatrick Haack, Jost Sieweke, Lauri Wessel
Number of pages18
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited
Publication date25.11.2019
Pages23-40
ISBN (print)978-1-78769-128-5
ISBN (electronic)978-1-78769-127-8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25.11.2019
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • Management studies - Ritual, Critique, institutional work, ritual theory, field-configuring events, climate change