6 - Public Whistleblowing as Collective Bricolage

Summary

Right now, we have limited understanding of how public whistleblowers prevail. But each year, with each emerging case, we learn more. The concept of collective bricolage – the focus of this chapter -- moves us forward. Bringing together insights from public whistleblowers’ experiences, we gain a deeper understanding of the unique and challenging work of public whistleblowers collaborating with allies. We gain insights into the relationships that make this work possible. We learn about the surprising ways in which aggressive employer reprisal can yield opportunities for public whistleblowers to leverage backlash, defend themselves and persist with their disclosures. Public whistleblowing alliances continue to develop and refine their strategies. Yet it is not straightforward. Pre-planned ‘campaigns’ are uncommon, and those that emerge rarely progress as intended. This book is a critical first step in understanding the organizing practices of ally partnerships in effective public whistleblowing.