The Corporation Ten Years On: An Interview and an Audience with Joel Bakan

Abstract

More than 10 years ago, the Canadian documentary film The Corporation, written by University of British Columbia professor of law Joel Bakan, significantly challenged the way we think about the modern corporation by unraveling its legal status as a person pathologically committed to the pursuit of power and profit. The film won 26 international awards and Bakan’s book also became a widely translated bestseller. In this interview and Q&A session, Bakan talks about his motivations in making the movie and writing the book, the response they generated, and the changing nature of the modern corporation. His commentary provides insight into the relationship between documentary filmmaking and scholarship and enables understanding of the use of film as a resource with the potential to generate social change by bringing insights from research to a wider audience. The interview also explores connections between scholars of law and management in critically analyzing corporations.