42nd EGOS Colloquium, Bergamo 2026
 

CALL for Sub-theme Proposals

Reframing Organizations in the More-than-Human Society

 

Organizations in the third millennium wield greater power and bear an equally greater responsibility than in the past. This power stems from their remarkable capacity to generate wealth and well-being through technoscientific innovation and the alteration of both nature and human societies. Conversely, their responsibility arises from the significant impact of human actions on the planet and communities, along with the anticipated and unanticipated consequences these actions may have for current and future generations. This sense of responsibility should foster an understanding that contemporary organizations are increasingly called to engage with their environments as key actors. They play a role in shaping these environments – whether intentionally or not – alongside other living beings and artificial agents.

In this context, scholars in organizational studies and related fields play an equally crucial role. Recent phenomena, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and advancements in artificial intelligence, underscore the urgent need to reframe existing theories, models, methods, and practices to better support organizations in managing such power and responsibility in a wise manner and pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable world.
 
Organization studies have already investigated how the interplay between humans and technology evolves to meet innovation needs, shaping work practices in both intended and unintended ways. It is now time to recognize that human organizing involves non-human agencies. From this perspective, technology transforms workers into “cyborgs” by extending them through artificial intelligence, smart devices, and online networks. In addition to technologies and artifacts, an ‘eco-political’ perspective has inspired scholars all over the world to consider how nature and other living beings are involved in the actual configuration of neoliberal society. This theoretical, ethical and political lens aims to investigate how relationships between humans, nature, and animals can lead to co-produce more responsible, sustainable, and alternative forms of organizing for overcoming the onto-epistemological dualism between human and non-human entities.
 
Reframing methods in a more-than-human perspective means decolonizing them from the systems of power in which they are embedded. This approach calls for (ii) reframing by developing new narratives, new words, new grammars, and new vocabularies that amplify diverse voices speaking from unexplored methodological positions; (ii) embracing a more responsible perspective that recognizes the interdependence of human and non-human entities in shaping organizations and the future of society.
 
Key questions to consider:

  • How does a “more-than-human” perspective enlighten organization theory? Does the more-than-human perspective represent a new ontological and epistemological turn in organization theory? Alternatively, can the more-than-human perspective be integrated with current theories?

  • Which new concepts and methods can support a “more-than-human” understanding of organizations and organizational practices?

  • How do the different subjectivities which compose “more-than-human” relationships and assemblages engage in working and managerial practice?

  • Which is the place of ethics in a more-than-human perspective? How is ethical agency defined? Where does the locus of responsibility reside in a more-than-human assemblage?

  • How does a more-than-human approach contribute to informing or reframing ethical practice within and across organizations and how does this impact on (ethical) research practice?

  • What happens to concepts such as power, diversity, and inequality as a more-than-human perspective gives rise to emerging – and potentially improved – forms of work practices?
     

The 42nd EGOS Colloquium 2026 in Bergamo takes this as a starting point to foster dialogue and debate around more-than-human relations and the differences they make to organizations and organizing. The Colloquium will be organized by the University of Bergamo as a mainly online format. By “mainly online”, we envision a blended format that brings together a fully virtual academic program of sub-themes and sub-plenaries; onsite PhD/early career activities in Bergamo; and decentrally and locally organized meet-ups for face-to-face social interaction at different universities around the world.
 
As the first major international association of management scholars, EGOS has decided to explore such a format for two main reasons: inclusivity and sustainability.

  • An online conference is inclusive as it allows more members to participate despite potential concerns around health, funding, sustainability concerns, visa, or care duties; and because it allows universities without large campus facilities to organize a Colloquium.

  • An online conference is more sustainable because it drastically reduces the association’s carbon emissions (see here the EGOS CO2 reports), fully leveraging new technologies. This is in line with the EGOS goal to reduce net carbon emissions by at least 55% in 2030, compared to 2019.


To make this exciting experiment a success, we call upon our members! Please find more information about how to organize a local hub model here.
 
Bergamo, a city where history meets innovation, provides a rich context for the exploration of “Reframing Organizations in the More-than-Human Society”. Known for its cultural heritage, technological and industrial environment, and commitment to sustainable development, Bergamo stands as a “guinea pig” for experimenting new relationships between human organizations, technological actants, and the broader ecological systems they live in.

Throughout its rich history, Bergamo has consistently demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit, always ready to rise to the challenge. The city’s nickname, the “City of the Thousands”, honors the 179 brave citizens who joined Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Expedition of the Thousands during the Italian Risorgimento. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bergamo showcased its resilience and courage, confronting a formidable global challenge head-on. Today, both the city and the University of Bergamo embrace the opportunity presented by the inaugural EGOS Colloquium in a primarily online format. They are confident that their distinct entrepreneurial spirit will make a significant impact as they tackle this new challenge.
 
We look forward to your contributions in shaping the future of organizations within a more-than-human society!

Kinds regards,
The University of Bergamo local organzing team

Requirements for convenor teams

  • Diversity with respect to gender, geographical background of the convenors’ institution (= from at least two different countries), and academic age.

  • Inclusion of at least one convenor with experience in organizing and running a sub-theme at a previous EGOS Colloquium.

  • Convenor team size is three scholars. Proposals from teams of four or more convenors will not be considered.


Submission of sub-theme proposals

  • Title and an outline of the proposed sub-theme and the area of interest (maximum of 2 pages).

  • Include a short biography of each member of the team (i.e., academic background and experience, max. 200 words), and how the convenor team meets the criteria laid out above.

  • Submissions are encouraged, but not required, to link their proposals to the overall Colloquium theme: “Reframing Organizations in the More-than-Human Society”. However, sub-theme proposals should avoid repetition of the overall Colloquium theme in their titles.

  • Please take also note of the “Guidelines and criteria for online submission of SUB-THEME PROPOSALS for EGOS Colloquia”.

 

Submission period [online via the EGOS website]:

  • Start: Monday, October 21, 2024

  • End:  Tuesday, December 10, 2024, 23:59:59 CET


For any questions regarding the 42nd EGOS Colloquium 2026, please contact: