the seductive language of development
DESCRIPTION
Buzz Words used in communications ....TRANSCRIPT
The Seductive Language of Development
The Seductive Language of Development
The development industry has mastered the techniques of saying much and meaning nothing. Consider the following extract from a 1994 speech by an Assistant Director-General for fisheries:
“This programme is based on an integrated approach to the development of small-scale fisheries and the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of communities of downtrodden fishermen and their families. It will promote the skills, capacities and potentials of fishing communities, through the active involvement and participation of the fishing villagers in the planning and implementation of management and development activities.”
The Seductive Language of Development
To the uninitiated it sounds wonderful.
In reality none of it stands up to a critical analysis. It is merely a way of making people believe that the modernization of fishing is designed to help local fishing communities where, in fact, FAO want to modernize fishing to create a market for trawlers, radar and sonar equipment, nylon nets and modern warehouses, and, most importantly, for the expertise which FAO must provide to justify its own existence.
The effects upon fisher folk of modernization are the destruction of their communities, the export of the fish, which once led them, and the over fishing and eventual exhaustion of their local fish stocks.
The Seductive Language of Development
The techniques used by the development industry’s sophisticated propaganda machine have been analyzed by A.F.Robertson.
He highlights the language used for selling its policies and stresses that much of its value rests in “Its imprecision of meaning”. He points out that the “buzz words” which it uses can be combined into almost infinite permutations and still ‘mean something’.
Robertson illustrates his point by listing the 56 words, which occurred the most frequently in a planner’s lexicon. These are arranged in four different columns of words.
The Seductive Language of Development
A B C D
1 Centrally Motivated Grass-roots Involvement 1
2 Rationally Positive Sectoral Incentive 2
3 Systematically Structured Institutional Participation 3
4 Formally Controlled Urban Attack 4
5 Totally Integrated Organizational Process 5
6 Strategically Balanced Rural Package 6
7 Dynamically Functional Growth-Oriented Dialogue 7
8 Democratically Programmed Development Initiative 8
9 Situationally Mobilized Cooperative Scheme 9
10 Moderately Limited On-Going Approach 10
11 Intensively Phased Technical Project 11
12 Comprehensively
Delegated Leadership Action 12
13 Radically Maximized Agrarian Collaboration 13
14 Optimally Consistent Planning Objective 14
The Seductive Language of Development
One word can be selected at random from each column to compose a four word, typical development phrase.
For example, A3. B6, C9 and D12 make “systematically balanced cooperative action.” A12, B9, C6 and D6 construct another like sounding phrase, “comprehensively mobilized rural participation.”
None of these phrases mean anything yet they are typical of the seductive language which fills the countless speeches, plans, project proposals and glossy pamphlets of the development industry.
The Seductive Language of Development
Now, lets have some more fun.
1.Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself by drawing a square. A 5" x 5" seems to be a good size.
2.Divide the card into columns - five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.
3.Write one of the following words/phrases in each block, as shown in the next slide.
synergy strategic fitcore competencies
best practice
bottom line
revisit expeditiousto tell you the truth (or "the truth is")
24/7out of the loop
benchmark value-added proactive win-winthink outside the box
fast trackresult-driven
empower (or empowerment)
knowledge base
at the end of the day
touch base mindsetclient focus(ed)
paradigm game plan
The Seductive Language of Development
The Seductive Language of Development
3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.
4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout "BINGO! QUICK FIVE" and so on... ;-)
5. Some Possible Benefits a) Meetings will never be the same …… b) Attention span at meetings improve dramatically.c) You want the meetings to continue, till you achieve
something – completing the fifth box!
The Seductive Language of Development
Enjoy your seminars, meetings, workshops ..... Nothing like doing this in groups dispersed across the Conference Halls.
