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Moral Imagination, Collective Action, and the Achievement of Moral Outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2015

Timothy J. Hargrave
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Abstract:

Drawing upon the collective action model of institutional change, I reconceptualize moral imagination as both a social process and a cognitive one. I argue that moral outcomes are not produced by individual actors alone; rather, they emerge from collective action processes that are influenced by political conditions and involve behaviors that include issue framing and resource mobilization. I also contend that individual moral imagination involves the integration of moral sensitivity with consideration of collective action dynamics. I illustrate my arguments with a case study of the Chad-Cameroon oil project. The paper suggests new directions in teaching and research on moral imagination.

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Articles
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Business Ethics Quarterly , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 87 - 104
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Business Ethics 2009

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