ABSTRACT
Supra-national contexts created by the rise of information and communication technology may shape categorization between individuals in the international organization in unforeseen ways. Sub-national contexts may also affect categorization in international organizations. In order to understand how the supra- and sub-national contexts influence categorization in international organizations, this chapter provides a literature review of the relation between categorization and national context and how this relates to language use. It introduces an anthropological understanding of categorization, and subsequently, through empirical examples, it then presents two different ethnographic approaches; multi-sited ethnography and the extended case method. Finally, the chapter discusses implications for cross-cultural management. Multi-sited fieldwork can be defined as a tracing process through a multi-situated space or context, and contrary to traditional ethnography, it does not privilege local contexts over those spanning across greater distances. A methodological pathway for capturing categorization shaped by the sub-national context is provided by the extended case study.
