Art, Abjection, and Resistance to Change

29.00€

This case study is ideal for a 45 minute session.

For more details visit the product page.

What you will get:

A audio file with a reflection of the case, which is based on the paper.
A paper with background information and Instructions how to use the "case" in your classes. This paper includes a link to the original performance, that you can watch with your participants.

Occasionally, I send out additional material (slides, videos, audios, free of charge, when you are registered and have bought the product.

What does a performance of operatic vomiting reveal about leadership, resistance, and organizational life?

In this provocative audio case, we unpack Nexus Vomitus, a live performance by abjection artist Millie Brown, to explore its surprising relevance for leadership development and change management. Blending systems-psychodynamic theory, role analysis, and the language of art, this episode challenges listeners to think differently about discomfort, rejection, and the emotional turbulence of transformation.

At the heart of the conversation is a paradox familiar to many change agents: to move a system forward, you may need to violate its norms—and in doing so, risk being expelled by it.

This case invites reflection on:

Abjection as a metaphor for resistance and exclusion
The unspoken taboos and silences within organizations
Disgust and anxiety as emotional signals in times of change
How disturbing art can unlock new insights in leadership education
The role of containment when navigating emotional fallout

Ideal for:

Executive and MBA classrooms exploring unconventional case materials
Change practitioners and OD professionals looking for new reflective tools
Coaches, consultants, and facilitators working with resistance and role dynamics

Academic grounding: Based on the article Organizational Change and Abjection, this episode reframes performance art as a lens for teaching emotional awareness, boundary work, and the ethics of disruption in organizational life.

Disclaimer: The audio episode was co-created using AI-supported tools and is interpretive in nature. For detailed theoretical sources, refer to the accompanying article.