POSTPONED: GDI Lecture with Prof Lauchlan Munro: What can we learn when we compare neoliberalism with other things that don’t exist?
| Dates: | 11 March 2020 |
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| Times: | 17:00 - 18:30 |
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| What is it: | Lecture |
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| Organiser: | Global Development Institute |
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| How much: | Free |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, External researchers, Adults, Alumni, Current University students, General public, Post 16 |
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| Speaker: | Lauchlan Munro |
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UNFORTUNATELY THIS LECTURE IS POSTPONED AND WILL BE RE-ARRANGED. FULL DETAILS TO FOLLOW.
Frustrated by constantly hearing about an ideology, neoliberalism, that no one adheres to, Lauchlan Munro set out to understand the phenomenon of ghost ideologies. Ghost ideologies have no proponents, no leaders and no literature, but are the inventions of their opponents. They are straw man arguments established as tools for moral posturing. Over the last two decades, both Left and Right have engaged in this activity, with the Left inventing and excoriating neoliberalism and the Right inventing and excoriating cultural Marxism. Lauchlan then looks back at the 1940s and 1950s debates about the ghost ideology of historicism to understand today’s obsession with neoliberalism and cultural Marxism. Lauchlan traces the similarities between neoliberalism, cultural Marxism and historicism and the reasons why academics and activists resort to creating ghost ideologies. He then identifies the reasons for the continued popularity of this rhetorical and political technique. Lauchlan then goes on to trace the real origins of the terms neoliberalism, cultural Marxism and historicism. In each case, he finds that the current usage takes a real social and political problem from an earlier era and its associated terminology, changes its meaning and adds a layer of moral denunciation. The resulting confection is something entirely new and morally satisfying for the creators, while being politically vapid.
Lauchlan Munro is a socio-economist and manager, and twice former Director of the School of International Development and Global Studies. Before joining the University of Ottawa, Lauchlan served as Vice-President at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from 2008 to 2012. From 2004 to 2009, he was Director of Policy and Planning and Chief of Staff to the President of IDRC. From 2000 to 2003, Lauchlan was Chief of Strategic Planning with UNICEF. Lauchlan also worked for UNICEF in DR Congo, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. From 1985 to 1987, he was a member of the Royal Bhutanese Civil Service. Lauchlan is a two-time graduate of the University of Toronto, and he earned his Ph.D. from the then Institute for Development Policy and Management at the University of Manchester
Lectures are followed by an audience Q&A.
This event is open to members of the public and information on the accessibility of the venue is detailed at this link: https://www.accessable.co.uk/venues/roscoe_th-b
This event is not ticketed.
Speaker
Lauchlan Munro
Role: Visiting Research Fellow
Organisation: The University of Manchester
Biography: Lauchlan Munro is a socio-economist and manager, and twice former Director of the School of International Development and Global Studies. Before joining the University of Ottawa, Lauchlan served as Vice-President at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from 2008 to 2012. From 2004 to 2009, he was Director of Policy and Planning and Chief of Staff to the President of IDRC. From 2000 to 2003, Lauchlan was Chief of Strategic Planning with UNICEF. Lauchlan also worked for UNICEF in DR Congo, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. From 1985 to 1987, he was a member of the Royal Bhutanese Civil Service. Lauchlan is a two-time graduate of the University of Toronto, and he earned his Ph.D. from the then Institute for Development Policy and Management at the University of Manchester
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
Theatre B
Roscoe Building
Manchester
