Bankspeak. The language of World Bank Reports, 1946-2012
| Dates: | 11 March 2015 |
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| Times: | 17:30 - 20:30 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Life Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Dominique Pestre |
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Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM), and Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIOIR) - University of Manchester Fred Jevons Science Policy Lecture 2015, Wednesday 11 March 2015
5.30pm – 8.30pm, at Manchester Business School.
Dominique Pestre, Director of Institut Francilien Recherche, Innovation, Société / Alexandre Koyré Centre, Paris
Bankspeak: The language of World Bank Reports, 1946- 2012
Abstract
This talk, based on collaborative work with Franco Moretti, Professor of English literature at Stanford University, relies on a ‘distant reading’ (via computerized texts) of all Annual Reports of the World Bank since its creation after WWII. It considers the semantics as well as the grammatical structure of the texts. It shows a major shift between the first two and a half first decades and the last two and a half ones. Semantics confirms what is already known – the move from a Rostowian understanding of development and its standard tools to a finance-based approach articulated on a new importance given to management techniques and a new alliance around three totems: governance, global, civil society. A new language (a new style) has emerged that pushes de-specification (in terms of contexts, time and geographical spans) to an extreme limit and develops what could be called a ‘boundary language’ allowing new types of actions and hegemony in the world.
The Jevons Lecture is an annual event co-organised by MIOIR and CHSTM to commemorate the founding professor of “Liberal Studies in Science” at Manchester, Fred Jevons. The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.
The event is free to attend but you must register using the following link to reserve a place https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-fred-jevons-science-policy-lecture-2015-registration-15567667312
All are welcome and please feel free to pass this announcement on to interested colleagues.
Speaker
Dominique Pestre
Role: Director
Organisation: Institut Francilien Recherche, Innovation, Société / Alexandre Koyré Centre, Paris
Travel and Contact Information
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Manchester Business School East
Manchester
