Global Perspectives in Critical Work and Organisational Psychology

Virtual Conference – 8-9 November 2025

ORGANISERS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):
Bolanle Ajibola (Université catholique de Louvain), Antoine Cordier (Louvain School of Management), Severin Hornung (University of Innsbruck), Franziska Josefine Kößler (Leuphana University of Lüneburg), Mehmet A. Orhan (Nyenrode Business University), Amalia Raquel Pérez Nebra (University of Zaragoza), Francesco Tommasi (University of Milano)

OBJECTIVE

Critical scholars across the globe engage in empirical and conceptual research and practices, resisting, subverting, or imagining alternatives to mainstream Western Work and Organisational (W-O) psychology. For example, many W-O psychologists operate in areas of conflict or have backgrounds characterised by a history of violence, oppression, and colonisation. Others work with groups of marginalised, oppressed, or victims of violence. What is more, the global challenge of climate catastrophes represents an important issue for W-O psychologists who have been reinventing and positioning their practices in alternative modes of being and doing W-O psychology. Ultimately, at a global level, varieties of W-O psychology exist despite the subjugation of mainstream W-O psychology and Western academic imperialism. This means that W-O psychology has not only been revisited and reinvented in terms of themes, concepts, and methodologies, but scholars also have been situating W-O psychology in a way that does not silence, legitimate, objectify, and/or replicate forms of oppression, marginalisation, colonisation, and systemic violence.
The first FoWOP (Future of Work and Organizational Psychology) Virtual Conference aims to create a space for dialogue on critical perspectives on a global level. The call encourages contributions on studies, methodologies, and local projects across the globe that employ alternative approaches (e.g., indigenous perspectives, decolonial perspectives) other than traditional W-O psychology theories, models, and methodologies. The conference is particularly interested in contributions presenting ways in which W-O psychology situates different contexts and combines different community, organisational, institutional, societal, and cultural dimensions into empirical or conceptual investigations.
As an online event, the conference is designed to be accessible and inclusive, and thereby creating a programmatic space for a global engagement in envisioning and developing critical perspectives in W-O psychology. There are no restrictions or specifications for themes, topics, or types of contributions. The call welcomes presentations of scholars’ experiences, with particular interest in projects on non-Westernised W-O psychology. This first FoWOP Virtual Conference is meant to provide a safe space to realise the yearning of many W-O psychologists for a non-hegemonic intellectual community nurtured and energized by the pluralism of ethics, scientific paradigms, ontologies, methodologies, geographies, and positionalities.

POSSIBLE THEMES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
● Possibilities for decolonizing W-O psychology, including research and practical projects
● Possibilities and challenges for critical W-O psychology from a global perspective
● Possibilities of Indigenous perspectives in W-O psychology
● Possibilities and challenges for subverting or reimagining hegemonic structures in W-O psychology
● Possibilities of sharing testimonials of oppression in W-O psychology
● Possibilities for acknowledging the ambivalent role of W-O psychology in the tension between growth and social/environmental justice and systemic violence
● Possibilities for multi-level perspectives on social inequalities and their implications.

KEYNOTES AND CONFERENCE FORMAT

With its virtual mode, this conference aims to be more inclusive and accessible while contributing to alternative ways of organizing conferences within a world beset by ever-increasing polycrises. Presentations, symposia, and keynotes will be structured around 60-minute sessions spread on two half-days convenient for multiple time zones (from COT to IST). With this format, we strive to build a place of solidarity where scholars, regardless of their geographical location, health, freedom of travel, career stage, and ability to get a travel budget, can share their research, experiences, and ideas.
Apart from presentations, the Virtual conference will include informal spaces for meeting speakers and the FoWOP community. Moreover, the conference will have the participation of three exceptional keynote speakers bringing valuable insights from non-Western geographies.
● Sandiso Bazana, Rhodes University, South Africa
● Premilla D’Cruz, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India
● Hernan Pulido-Martinez, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

FOR PARTECIPATION
PRESENTERS

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Empirical, conceptual, and project-based contributions are welcome. Presentations of practitioners’ experiences of critical W-O psychology are also welcome.
● Presentation Format: Oral presentations – online, 15-minute presentation + 10-minute questions.
● Abstract Length: Up to 300 words / 2000 characters (including spaces). No references required.
● Submission System: Please use the form to submit your abstract: https://forms.office.com/e/5iJbCeQ4es
● Deadline for Submission: 5th September 2025
● Communication: For any questions, feel free to contact the organizing team at: fowop.sgm.2024@protonmail.com

REGISTRATION
No fees to participate

AUDITORY

We strive to maintain diversity and inclusivity, preserving spaces for doctoral students and early career scholars as well as participants from many geographies. We warmly welcome people from all horizons, including practitioners, activists, and non-academics. People interested in taking part without presentations are invited to register for the Virtual Conference. To do so, use the form for registration:

https://forms.office.com/e/5iJbCeQ4es

TIMELINE

● Submission of abstracts: 5th September 2025
● Notification of acceptance: 10th October 2025. Decisions will be communicated by 10th October 2025 via email (fowop.sgm.2024@protonmail.com).
● Deadline for registration (both presenters and auditory): 20th October 2025

To download the call: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wtFeT14zYCCXWyP-c1WhRrabxMc3N6yc/view?usp=sharing