Boundary Creatures? Employed, breastfeeding mothers and ‘abjection as practice'

Gatrell, CJ ORCID: 0000-0003-3134-3252 (2019) Boundary Creatures? Employed, breastfeeding mothers and ‘abjection as practice'. Organization Studies, 40 (3). pp. 421-442.

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Abstract

This paper contributes to theory on maternity, embodiment and organizations through advancing a contemporary theory of ‘abjection as practice’ in relation to breastfeeding and employment. Drawing upon the work of Margaret Shildrick and Julia Kristeva, it analyses a qualitative study of netnographic (internet) discussions among employed breastfeeding mothers, observing how lactating bodies are treated as abject within organizations. It proposes that hostile behaviour towards breastfeeding women could be seen as a form of ‘abjection as practice’, displaying a purposeful intent to exclude breast milk production from workplace contexts. In exploring the position of breastfeeding workers, the paper observes how breastfeeding women occupy an uncomfortable space on the borders between health ideals of ‘proper’ mothering and organizational notions of ‘good’ worker. The situation of breastfeeding employees is rendered ambiguous and such uncertainties invoke co-worker antipathy. Co-worker hostility towards breastfeeding colleagues appears validated at work because minimal action is taken to address deliberate utilization of ‘abjection as practice’ towards breastfeeding workers.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	abjection as practice, boundary creatures, breastfeeding, employed mothers, maternal bodies
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	11 Oct 2017 06:43
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 06:53
DOI:	10.1177/0170840617736932
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3009943