The promise of agency: difference, responsibility and freedom in more-than-human organising

The distinction between agency and structure is a classical conceptual division that is now often replaced by alternative analytical pairings. Earlier debates were marked by vigorous discussions about whether structures possess agency like qualities or whether agency itself embodies structural properties. 

Today, the emphasis has shifted toward examining whether objects and more-than-humans have, or may be attributed, agency, while the question of structure has receded into the background and is increasingly treated as a matter of institutions. Yet the issue of whether objects have agency remains central to questions of responsibility and organising. Can an object have agency without bearing responsibility, or can a subject be held accountable without possessing agency? These questions have significant implications for organisation and organising as agency, structure and responsibility are key themes in this context. We invite seminar participants to bring along questions, objects and concepts that helps to shine a light on the promise of agency.