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'Why not rob that myth?' : Toward a study of demystification of social entrepreneurship from below
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2012-08-06
Author(s)
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine and problematize social entrepreneurship based on distinguishing between different conceptions of ‘myth’ which guide scholars to develop various strategies of ‘demystification’. First, we take the dominant understanding of myth as false explanation as a starting point to highlight available studies which undertake ‘myth-busting’ and thus try to demystify the self-evidences of social entrepreneurship through scientific evidence. Pinpointing the limits of such rational critiques of myth, we, secondly, develop an ideological view of myth which conceives of social entrepreneurship as a necessary illusion that shapes the non-profit reality according to a certain image of innovativeness and efficiency. Harking back on Barthes’ (1972) telling statement that the best way to critique myth is to mythify it in return, we use this inspiration to develop a different form of demystification which works through socially embedded practices, notably language. This ‘demystification from below’ is illustrated through a discourse analysis of non-profit practitioners. The study provides a case in point of how mundane speech simultaneously reproduces and transcends myth. Demonstrating how such interpretive work opens up spaces for novel articulations of the social, we conclude that prospective research on the myth-making of social entrepreneurship must endorse language-based inquiries as a means for enabling meanings which are systematically excluded from spectacular representations of social entrepreneurship.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Book title
The Informal Economy
Publisher
Acadamy of Economy
Publisher place
Chicago
Volume
Session 1039
Event Title
72nd Academy of Management Annual Meeting (AOM) 2012 "The Informal Economy"
Event Location
Boston, USA
Event Date
03.-07.08.2012
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
216169