We are a multidisciplinary group of researchers and educators at Royal Holloway.
Professor Elena Giovannoni, Centre Director
The Centre for Critical and Historical Research on Organisation and Society (CHRONOS) actively provides an interdisciplinary, international and inclusive forum to discuss and develop the plurality of ways in which ‘critical’ and ‘historical’ research into organizations, markets and society can be conducted.
The guiding belief of critical research is that it should uncover the social and cultural dimensions and implications of any subject matter, interrogating and questioning mainstream approaches and practices as a way to make a positive difference for organisations, markets and society. This, in turn, needs to be grounded in an in-depth awareness of the origin, historical heritage and evolution of social phenomena, using historical perspectives as a way to delve into present and future trajectories of organisation and society. In this way ‘critical and historical’ research prompts social and cultural awareness and wise judgement among policymakers, organisational leaders and employees while informing public debate within broader society. What is therefore excluded is research concerned with purely technical, asocial and/or a-historical approaches to organisation and management.
Our strengths and key research areas
- Interdisciplinary perspectives on space and time within and across organisations, researching the material, spatial, visual, and temporal/historical nature of organisation and organising phenomena
- Research into identity and working life, as a way to reconceptualise differences, categories and divisions, and provide fundamental critique of work / life balance
- Research into critical consumption and politics of markets, including, studies on consumer activism; geopolitics; marketplace cultures; socio-historic patterning’s of consumption; classed resistance; business-politics relations; justice, law and markets
- Research into accountability and control in diverse settings (global market, corporations, NGOs, charities, arts organisations and creative industries, education, etc).
- Silent Voices: Feminist and Subaltern Perspectives
We hold regular seminar series and other events. Take a look here.
Key contacts
Professor Elena Giovannoni, Centre Director
Research leads
- ‘Interdisciplinary perspectives on Space and Time’, Professor Robert Fitzgerald
- ‘Visibility, Accountability and control in diverse settings’, Dr Leonardo Rinaldi
- ‘Identity and working life’, Professor Fiona Moore and Dr Louise Ashley
- "Silent Voices: Feminist and Subaltern Perspectives", Dr Olga Kravets and Professor Pauline MacLaran
- ‘Critical consumption and politics of markets’, Dr Chloe Preece
Strategy leads
- External engagement and impact lead: Professor Paul Du Gay
- Social media lead: Dr Olga Kravets
- Research funding lead: Dr Maria Simosi
- ECR (Early Career Researchers) lead: Dr Giulia Achilli and Dr Paul Caussat
Core members
Giulia Achilli
Gloria Agyemang
John Ahwere-Bafo
Humayun Ansari
Sarah Ansari
Louise Ashley
Alan Bradshaw
Jane Broadbent
Donna Brown
Benedetta Cappellini
Andreas Chatzidakis
Derrick Chong
Jennifer Cole
Neil Conway
Kate Cooper
Caroline Cornish
Philip Crang
Jane Davison
Dan Kärreman
Paul du Gay
Amany Elbanna
Robert Fitzgerald
Maria Gee
Elena Giovannoni
Chris Grey
Chris Hackley
Catherine Harbor
Paul Haynes
Abby Hilson
Chris Howorth
Ashok Jashapara
Mads Jensen
Olga Kravets
Mikko Laamanen
Pauline MacLaran
Lauren McCarthy
Brendan McSweeney
Fiona Moore
Christopher Napier
Chris Nobes
Justin O'Brien
Susan O'Leary
Gül Berna Özcan
Niki Panteli
Chloe Preece
Chris Rees
Alexander Reppel
Richard Laughlin
Leonardo Rinaldi
Andrew Seltzer
Sukanya Sen Gupta
Laura Spence
Emmett Sullivan
Gillian Symon
Mark Tadajewski
Hui Tan
Helen Tregida
Chin-Ju Tsai
Na Zhao
Yingqin Zheng
Maria Simosi
Anica Zeyen
Paul Caussat
PhD students
Adam Badger
Nicolae Bertalan
Sara Bakr
Ziyun Fan
Courtney Hagen Ford
Patrick Giwa
Farahiyah Haji Kawi
Minping Huang
John King
Ratna Khanijou
Yihan Liu
Ian McDonald
Adam Mckie
Antony Mullin
Saffet Uygur
Niki Vlastara
Matthew Waters
Tracey Wechie
Visiting academics
CHRONOS welcomes distinguished visiting academics to foster interdisciplinary and international research collaborations in any CHRONOS research area:
Professor Riccardo Mussari, University of Siena, Italy.
For information and expressions of interest, please contact Professor Elena Giovannoni.
Our research
CHRONOS draws on existing skills and resources to:
- Extend the success of the School of Management’s Critical and historical perspectives (CHP) research group across a number of disciplines
- Expand national and international collaborations. Our aim is to expand research collaborations to other prestigious institutions and bodies within different countries
- Facilitate larger research projects and grant applications from members and affiliated research groups
- Sustain research impact and boost visibility of research output. Provide members with enhanced opportunities for public engagement, boosting the visibility of research outputs and impact of their research on society.
- Sustain early career researchers, as well as all members, through a productive environment, boosting research culture and fostering professional development
Research network and partnerships
UK research networks and partnerships
Cultural Research Group of Birmingham Business School, UK
International research networks and partnerships
Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Department of Business and Law, University of Siena, Italy
Our research impact cases
- "Public understanding of Brexit", led by Professor Chris Grey
- "Social mobility in the city", led by Dr. Louise Ashley