On the ideological and political significance of fantasy in the organization of work

Abstract

As a site of wealth creation, work receives critical attention in many disciplines and from the point of view of a wide range of traditions of thought. In this paper I explore some themes relating to work and the organization of work from a psychoanalytic point of view. Drawing inspiration from the work of Lacanian scholars and others, I suggest that there are advantages to organizing such an exploration around the category of fantasy, specifically in highlighting the ideological and political significance of the way work practices are organized and understood. I also suggest that aspects of this approach demand further development to make more convincing the critical explanations it offers of workplace phenomena.