TY - CHAP
T1 - The role of bystandership for socially sustainable and inclusive police organisations
AU - Rennstam, Jens
AU - Sullivan, Katie
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - This chapter seeks to explore the intersections between occupational cultures, bystanders, and social justice and inclusion based on the empirical example of policing. Specifically, we pursue the question: what is the role of police officers as bystanders to occupational police culture and how does that influence inclusion? Against the backdrop of occupational culture, we put forth four key aspects of policing (social legitimacy, hierarchy, loyalty, masculinity) that are relevant for making sense of bystandership with respect to inclusion/exclusion in police occupational culture. Further, we present four stories about the experiences of police officers contending with the inclusion of minorities, each featuring a different type of bystandership (silent, indifferent, whistleblowing, and powerless). We argue that bystander engagement plays an essential role in maintaining the social legitimacy of the police, and in particular processes of inclusion and exclusion. Yet, due to the particularities of police organisations, including norms that prescribe, hierarchy, loyalty, and that privilege traditional masculinity, speaking up as a bystander may be complicated. In other words, the organisational culture and structure surrounding policing create challenges for bystanders and for creating occupational cultures that support bystander engagement. We therefore-in contrast to individualised solutions such as bystander training-call for a stronger focus on occupational culture for facilitating bystander engagement.
AB - This chapter seeks to explore the intersections between occupational cultures, bystanders, and social justice and inclusion based on the empirical example of policing. Specifically, we pursue the question: what is the role of police officers as bystanders to occupational police culture and how does that influence inclusion? Against the backdrop of occupational culture, we put forth four key aspects of policing (social legitimacy, hierarchy, loyalty, masculinity) that are relevant for making sense of bystandership with respect to inclusion/exclusion in police occupational culture. Further, we present four stories about the experiences of police officers contending with the inclusion of minorities, each featuring a different type of bystandership (silent, indifferent, whistleblowing, and powerless). We argue that bystander engagement plays an essential role in maintaining the social legitimacy of the police, and in particular processes of inclusion and exclusion. Yet, due to the particularities of police organisations, including norms that prescribe, hierarchy, loyalty, and that privilege traditional masculinity, speaking up as a bystander may be complicated. In other words, the organisational culture and structure surrounding policing create challenges for bystanders and for creating occupational cultures that support bystander engagement. We therefore-in contrast to individualised solutions such as bystander training-call for a stronger focus on occupational culture for facilitating bystander engagement.
KW - bystandership
KW - police
KW - inclusion
KW - exclusion
KW - social sustainability
UR - https://www.routledge.com/Social-Sustainability-and-Good-Work-in-Organizations/Jebsen-Lueg/p/book/9781032307381?srsltid=AfmBOopo3VbeJknxcY7Icp5VQ9aqhi6IcxQu97bP0cKYrQSOoe1AlWSi
U2 - 10.4324/9781003306436-5
DO - 10.4324/9781003306436-5
M3 - Book chapter
AN - SCOPUS:85195746329
SN - 9781032307381
T3 - Citizenship and Sustainability in Organizations
SP - 83
EP - 101
BT - Social Sustainability and Good Work in Organizations
A2 - Lueg, Klarissa
A2 - Jebsen, Simon
PB - Routledge
CY - London
ER -