Commemorating alternative organizations and marginalized spaces: The case of forgotten Finntowns

Abstract

Alternative organizations have become increasingly of interest in organizational theory. Previously understudied, these organizations have also been ignored or forgotten in the dominant narratives and spaces of commemoration. This further limits what we know about the past and the potential of alternative organizations. To illustrate this problem, we offer a specific case study of the forgotten alternative organizations and marginalized space of a former Finntown alongside the commemorative narratives and practices of capitalist entrepreneur heritage spaces. Extending organization theory on memory and forgetting, we detail how commemoration not only tends to legitimate capitalist forms of organizing, but also excludes alternatives. Finntowns, with their emphasis on cooperative organizations and community, provide a unique opportunity for organization studies to explore commemoration and forgetting in terms of power relations, time, and space. These marginalized spaces contained alternative organizations coexisting and contrasting with dominant capitalist organizations. Remembering their contributions means taking alternative organizations seriously, acknowledging their historic importance as well as their ability to be models for contemporary organizations.

Dispositivo de Potterheads: Organização Pautada na Ordem do Cânone

“…Analisar a esfera do consumo tornou-se relevante para a teoria organizacional, assim como o estudo das formas organizacionais alternativas despertou o interesse de estudiosos (Fontenelle, 2015;Rodgers, Petersen, & Sanderson, 2016). O fandom é o espaço social que as sedia e propicia os intensivos diálogos entre fãs (Amaral, Souza, & Monteiro, 2015;Guschwan, 2012), e é considerado por Jenkins (2009) uma comunidade cultural complexa, mantida pelo estilo particular de consumo e pela preferência cultural.…”

Historic Preservation

“…Preservation plans were not encouraged by the city because the historic significance of the buildings and the Third Ward has not been widely known. This connects to the previous exclusion of Finntown and immigrant history in commemoration narratives created by various city stakeholders (Rodgers et al 2016).…”

“…3 Many of the buildings that current Latino residents use for residences, social halls, or businesses were built and used by former Finnish immigrants and therefore have historical significance for both groups. The historic area of the Third Ward has not been recognized for its significance, and instead most preservation efforts of the city since the 1970s were focused on the inventors and manufacturers of barbed wire, with preservation of buildings in other Wards in the city (Rodgers, Petersen, and Sanderson 2016).…”

Marginalising co-operation? A discursive analysis of media reporting on the Co-operative Bank

“…In one sense, this is not surprising, because alternative organisations often suffer from invisibility (Rodgers et al, 2016) in mainstream business discourse until a scandal or unusual event pushes them into the public eye. Moreover, unlike other parts of Europe (e.g.…”

“…In contrast to this renewed interest shown by academics and policymakers, media accounts of co-operatives are relatively scarce, particularly, in the United Kingdom, and this reinforces public ignorance about co-operatives. In one sense, this is not surprising because alternative organisations often suffer from invisibility (Rodgers et al, 2016) in mainstream business discourse until a scandal or unusual event pushes them into the public eye. Moreover, unlike other parts of Europe (e.g.…”