Emotional labor as carnivalesque behavior: Avoiding administrative evil in the public space

Abstract

Metaphors are used a great deal in theory but are not always fully explained. This paper expands on the carnival metaphor used by Boje (2001) by clarifying the type of carnival the metaphor describes, in this case the sideshow carnival. The sideshow carnival metaphor helps to explain how emotional labor can be used to avoid situations of administrative evil that have been partially caused by the separation of mind/body of public servants operating in public space. The authors of this article illustrate the application of the sideshow carnival metaphor by showing how emergency professionals in the area of natural disaster management have become more professionalized over the last several decades. This professionalization has led to a focus on the rational mind over the emotional body. By engaging in emotional labor, emergency professionals are engaging in carnivalesque behavior that helps to repair the mind/body connection. If the connection is not repaired, the rational mind will take over and the public space wherein the emergency professional exists can co-opt the professional leading them to be unable to see the potential evil acts they might commit.

Citation

Pressley, C.L. and Noel, M.E. (2014), "Emotional labor as carnivalesque behavior: Avoiding administrative evil in the public space", International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 199-216. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-17-02-2014-B003