Future Seminars


 

18th Organizational Storytelling seminar

‘Researchers as storytellers’

 

  Severine van Bommel, Noëlle Aarts and Suzanne Tesselaar

 11-11-2011

 

  

Conference organised by the Communication Studies Group and Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS), Wageningen University, the Netherlands

      

 

 

 

Conference Theme


“Researchers as storytellers”

A seminar aimed for researchers (including PhD students) interested in using stories and storytelling as part of a rich and rigorous research agenda in any field of the social sciences.


Keynote speakers:

  • Prof. Yiannis Gabriel, Professor of Organizational Theory, Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Prof. Noelle Aarts, Professor in Strategic Communication, University of Amsterdam; Associate professor Communication Science, Wageningen University


The Storytelling seminar brings together scholars, research students and practitioners who are interested in the nature of stories and storytelling in organizations and the use of stories in research on different aspects of organizational life, including politics, gender, culture, leadership and emotion. Now in its 10th year, the seminar has taken place in a variety of academic institutions including Imperial College, University of Exeter, University College Cork, The Free University of Amsterdam, the Humanistics University of Utrecht, Royal Holloway University of London, City University, Queen Mary’s College and the University of East Anglia. For more information on the series, see www.organizational-storytelling.org.uk

Following earlier discussions, this seminar will look more closely at researchers themselves as storytellers. To a certain extent, the quality of a research account depends on the researchers skills as storyteller (Yanow, 1996, van Bommel, 2008). A rich, grounded and persuasive story can make an important contribution to the credibility of research (Ybema eds. et all, 2010, Rhodes, 2001). Ethnographers (i.e. Bate, 2005) have for a long time been recommending story writing to help readers understand and critically evaluate an account. Scientific accounts written like this become a virtual reality, so to speak. For the reader, willing to enter this reality and explore it inside and out, the payback is a sensitivity to the issues at hand that cannot be obtained from only theory.

The construction of stories, in research, is hard work because stories do not and cannot tell themselves. Stories have to be narrated, albeit in writing or orally. One way or the other, they require a narrative analysis (i.e. Boje, 2001, Yanow, 1996) and or interpretation (Gabriel, 2000, Czarniawska, 1997). This means that choices have to made if only about where to begin and end the story, what to emphasise and so on. Furthermore, researchers are engaged in a narrative contract with their audiences – whereby, they undertake to deliver a story that possesses certain qualities (‘truthfulness’, ‘authenticity’, ‘criticality’, etc.) in return for the audience’s acceptance and, possibly, respect. This contract is quite different from those that characterize the relations of other types of storytellers (non-researchers) with their audiences; yet, its characteristics are not properly understood.

Storytelling is gaining significant scholarly attention, but little is known about what researchers actually do and how they do it. As such scholars are called upon to be more open and reflexive about their practices (i.e. Rhodes, Brown, 2005). What it is they do and how do they do it? One way to do this is to share stories about how we construct stories. Therefore the aim of this seminar is to reflect on our own practice as storytellers. We hope this will contribute to collective reflection (i.e. Gabriel, Connell, 2010) and thereby bring insight to the practice of research as storytelling.

In line with the practice of previous seminars, registered participants to this seminar will be asked to do some pre-seminar reflection, in this case related to their own practice as storytellers. What do you do and how do you do it? These questions will be discussed at the seminar.


Target group

The Storytelling seminar is aimed for researchers (including PhD students) interested in using stories and storytelling as part of a rich and rigorous research agenda in any field of the social sciences. Some Storytelling Seminars are aimed predominantly at PhD students who are interested in using stories as part of their research methodology. This upcoming seminar is aimed equally at seasoned researchers and PhD students using storytelling as part of their research. It is not intended for practitioners using storytelling in consulting. The seminar will encourage all participants, irrespective of their experience and expertise, to discuss and develop scholarship in these areas that are crucial in organizational research.


Seminar fee

For PhDs of WASS there is a fee of 30 euros. For all other participants and for staff members (fellows/post docs), there is a fee of 50 euros for the seminar (including drinks, lunches).


Seminar sessions

The seminar will consist out of four sessions:

  • Session 1: Keynote by Prof. Yiannis Gabriel
  • Session 2: Three short papers (speakers to be confirmed)
  • Session 3: Keynote by Prof. Noelle Aarts
  • Session 4: Interactive session on participants own experiences as storytellers


Prof. Yiannis Gabriel is known for his work into organizational storytelling and narratives, leadership, management learning and the culture and politics of contemporary consumption. He has used stories as a way of studying numerous social and organizational phenomena including leader-follower relations, group dynamics and fantasies, nostalgia, insults and apologies. More recently he has explored the education of managers and leaders in institutions of higher education and the ways in which MBAs influence professional practice. Yiannis has made his own contribution to pedagogy as author and co-author of several textbooks on organizations. He is currently researching leadership and storytelling in three UK hospitals using storytelling as a crucial part of his methodology.


Prof. Noelle Aarts is associate professor at Communication Science. She has a background in Cultural Anthropology. Starting from a cultural perspective she studies inter-human processes and communication of collective decision-making in the public domain. In September 2008, Noelle Aarts was appointed endowed professor at the University of Amsterdam, on a newly founded chair Strategic Communication. Her new research programme includes storytelling as a methodology for research on Strategic Communication. In addition to that Noelle Aarts has published on several topics such as negotiating nature policies, dealing with ambivalence concerning farm animal welfare, network-building for regional innovation and multiple land-use and processes of self-organization and communication for change. 


Registration

http://www.wass.wur.nl/UK/courses/registration/

The ethos of the seminar is to stimulate discussion and argument among people who share a fascination and love for stories and storytelling and believe that stories open valuable windows into the world of organizations and their members. To this end, the number of participants is limited to no more than 45 and the cost of participation is kept low. Please note that early registration and payment are recommended. The minimum number of attendants is set at 10.

Please make sure that you provide the most recent contact details so that in case of any changes you will be notified promptly. After your internet registration you will receive a short notification that your name has been registered. At least two weeks before the course you will receive a confirmation about the location and the schedule. WASS will also send an invoice to the address indicated in the registration form.

Please e-mail to in case you have not received the second confirmation two weeks before the course.


Cancellations

Cancellations may be made free of charge until 1 month before the start of the course. Cancellation fee of 100 % applies if participants cancel the course less than 1 month prior to the course. The organisers have a right to cancel the course not later than 1 month before the course starts. The participants will be notified of any changes at their e-mail addresses.

Further information

On course content please contact the course organiser, Severine van Bommel at the Communication Studies Group of Wageningen University. She can be reached through email: or telephone +31 317 483502

For details about the logistics, accommodation, registration, fees, study materials, etc. please contact

Marcella Haan from WASS. She can be reached through email:

or telephone +31 317 484126          

  

Useful information for participants from outside Wageningen


Hotels:

1) Wageningen International Centre (Hof van Wageningen): 75 euro for 1 persons room, 98.50 euros for 2 persons room, both prices are including breakfast. Details: http://www.hofvanwageningen.nl/

2) Hotel de Wageningseberg: 62.50 euro 1 person room, 97.50 euro for 2 persons room, also including breakfast; www.wageningseberg.com

3) Hotel Nol in 't Bosch: 83,50 euro for 1 person room, 110 euro for 2 persons room, also including breakfast; http://www.nolintbosch.nl/

4) Hotel de Nieuwe Wereld (Hotel School): 50-60 euro for a 1 person room. http://www.denieuwewereld.nl (only in Dutch)

 

Bed&Breakfast:

 

1) B& B De Heksenspeeltuin: 25 euro for a 1 person room

Address: Einthovenstraat 15, 6706JA Wageningen

Phone: +31 317-418161

E-mail: callyd@zonnet.nl

Website: www.heksenspeeltuin.nl (only in Dutch)


2) Villaria Bed en Breakfast: 32-38 euro for a 1 person room

Address: Nassauweg 21, 6703CG Wageningen

Phone: +31 317-419636

Emai:


3) Ons Bakhuus Bed & Breakfast: 25 euro for a 1 person room

Address:  Dolderstraat 64, 6706 JG Wageningen

Phone.:+31 317-411994

E-mail:


4) Knollywood Bed & Breakfast: 35 euro for a 1 person room

Address: L. Roggeveenstraat 39, 6708 SL Wageningen

Phone: +31 317-420970

E-mail:


5) De Herbergh Bed & Breakfast: 45 euro for a 1 person room

Address: Generaal Foulkesweg 8, 6703 BR Wageningen

Phone: +31 317-410747

E-mail:

 

From Schiphol Airport Amsterdam to Wageningen


At the Airport you can buy a train ticket in the ‘arrivals’ area. You will see the sign "Train tickets" near the exit. Then follow the signs 'Nederlandse Spoorwegen' (www.ns.nl) or 'Trains and busses' to the railway station. Purchase a one-way ticket to the Ede-Wageningen train station, this will cost € 13,40 (plus € 0,50 service charge if you buy the ticket at the ticket counter). It is also possible to buy the ticket from the ticket vending machines in the station. Every 30 minutes there are direct connections to Ede-Wageningen. Also, twice an hour there is a connection via Utrecht (where you have to change trains). On the platform, you will see signs hanging from the ceiling with all names of the different stations where the train will stop. Check for the names Ede Wageningen or Utrecht and board the train. The trip from Schiphol to Ede-Wageningen takes you a bit more than one hour.

For Dutch train connections use www.ns.nl, www.thalys.com, www.db.de



View Larger Map

 

Wageningen has no railway station. This lack is fully compensated by accurate means of buses and taxis, as described next.

From railway station Ede-Wageningen you can take a taxi (approx.15 min.) Taxis leave at the north side of the station. You can also come by bus (bus 86 (direction Arnhem) or bus 88 (Valleilijn, direction Wageningen). Bus 86 leaves at the north side of the station, bus 88 leaves at the South side of the station. You have to purchase a ticket in the bus, which will cost about 2 euros.

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