Dr Sylvia D'souza
International Lecturer in Business ManagementResearch Overview
My research interests primarily lie in ethics, morality, culture, and embodiment, building on insights from philosophy and sociology. My present aim in simple terms is to embed what are generally seen as universal categories (e.g., ethics) into embodied and culturally-specific categories through a practice-based lens.
My interest in practice necessitates taking a complex view of phenomena. It has led me to interrogate how macro-social and meso-organisational aspects interact, shape, modify, and orient individual embodied stances towards choice and action—particularly the ethical dimension—in diverse social worlds. This links to my concern with organisational technologies such as performance management, which have the power to reconfigure local modes of being by rewiring goals, values, interests and so on to an instrumental logic in market-driven economies.
The broader goal of my work is to surface culturally situated modes of being, seeing, knowing, and in that sense, to reclaim these modes from the universalising logic of dominant epistemologies and representations.
Current Research
My current work develops the practice-theoretical perspective for application to ethics; and advances a sociological understanding of ethical action in the Indian socio-cultural-historical context.
Research Interests
Key interests: ethics, morality, culture, practical wisdom (phronesis), embodiment, performance technologies (sociological-philosophical lens)
Theoretical approaches/interests: practice theories, phenomenology, Aristotle’s virtue ethics
Qualifications
PhD (Lancaster), MA, BCom
Career Details
Prior to moving into academia, I worked in various capacities in the information technology and digital communications spaces. My most recent stint was as Deputy General Manager, Group Corporate Communications, Tata group (2011-2016).
Current Teaching
Module Convenor: CNMNGT110 and CNOWT314
External Roles
Member of the UKRI Talent Peer Review College (PRC)
British Journal of Management (Journal)
Editorial activity
Organization (Journal)
Editorial activity
Culture and Organization (Journal)
Editorial activity
British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference 2022
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
EASST2018
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Academy of Management (EURAM) Conference 2018
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
- Centre for Technological Futures
- Pentland Centre