2024/11/13 by John Boswell, Jack Corbett, Dennis C. Grube +2 · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Health Professions · #Political and Economic history of UK and US #Employment and Welfare Studies #Social Policy and Reform Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/puar.13901
Abstract In the study of policy and administration, emotions are largely conceived as an exogenous factor that impacts on institutions and processes. Still ignored are the emotions felt and performed not just individually by civil servants, but collectively within government organizations. This article turns to insights on emotions from organizational studies to offer a conceptual framework through which to understand the lifeworld of government, or “institutional pathos.” It then applies this framework to an extreme case: Whitehall's response to the Brexit vote. Drawing on rich interview material from the Brexit Witness Archive, this article illustrates how the experience of individual and collective emotions deeply colored the work of British Government in delivering Brexit. The article concludes with a research agenda for public administration that foregrounds emotions.