Critical discourse analysis (CDA) (Fairclough 2012) is employed to consider discourses of the private sector in the key documents of the MDGs and the SDGs in order to examine the extent to which the international discourse has evolved in the 2000-2015 period.

1. ‹#› Het begint met een idee
CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR IN INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Sarah Cummings
DSA, MANCHESTER, 27 June 2018

2. ‹#› Het begint met een idee
2 Het begint met een idee
 Motivation and background
 Two discourses
 The MDGs
 The SDGs
 Conclusions
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / CDA of the private sector
OVERVIEW

3. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
 Research project and team ‘An unusual suspect: the private sector
in knowledge brokering in international development’
 Supported by NWO-WOTRO: September 2017-August 2018
 Non-critical approach to the private sector…..?
 Private sector is seen as an important actor in development
because of potential to scale up, reflected in SDGs
 The ‘private sector’ is often viewed as a cluster of homogenous
actors (corporate sector) but includes small and medium
enterprises, social entrepreneurs, consultants, financial
institutions and farmers
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / CDA of the private sector
MOTIVATIONS AND BACKGROUND

4. ‹#› Het begint met een idee
4 Het begint met een idee
 Critical discourse analysis of the
main texts of MDGs and SDGs
 Genealogy of past discourses
(Fairclough)
> Development actor that can support a
pro-poor agenda (companies,
foundations, international organizations,
some academics, and governments)
> Actor with conflicting interests with
development (civil society and some
academics)
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / An Unusual Suspect
DISCOURSES OF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR

5. • ‘Developmentally
questionable
market opening’
• Legitimisation of
unequal trade
• Failing to assist
business
development
• Subsidies to
European firms
• Regressive
outcomes for
firms, workers
and communities
• Academics and
NGOs
• Pro-poor economic
growth
• Scale up, new fields
unreached people
• Market opening
• Trickle-down
economics
• Business
competitiveness
• Aligning trade
liberalization agendas
• USAID, EU and EC,
DFID, UN and OECD
• Dominant discourse
Positive
impact
Negative
impact
• Instruments
badly
designed
• OECD talking
about
relationships
• Differentiation
of actors
(thinktanks in
developing
countries)
• ‘Bottom of the
pyramid’
economics
• Social
entrepreneurs

6. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
 ‘Millennium Declaration’ (2000) (9 page document)
 3 references to the private sector, 1 industry and no ICTs
‘…to develop strong partnerships with the private sector and with civil society
organizations in pursuit of development and poverty eradication.’ (p. 5)
‘To give great opportunities to the private sector, non-governmental organizations
and civil society, in general, to contribute to the [UN’s] goals and programmes.’
(p.9)
‘To encourage the pharmaceuticals industry to make essential drugs to make
essential drugs more widely available and affordable….r in knowledge brokering
in international development’ (p. 5)
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / CDA of the private sector
PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE MDGS

7. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
 ‘Transforming our world’ UN, 2015, 40 pages
 Means of implementation
‘[Agenda 2030] will facilitate an intensive global engagement in support of
implementation of all the Goals and targets, bringing together Governments,
the private sector, civil society, the United Nations system and other actors and
mobilizing all available resources.’ (p.14)
‘We acknowledge the role of the diverse private sector, ranging from micro-
enterprises to cooperatives to multinationals, and that of civil society
organizations and philanthropic organizations in the implementation of the
new Agenda.’ (p.14)
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / CDA of the private sector
PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE SDGS

8. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Means of Implementation
67. Private business activity, investment and innovation are
major drivers of productivity, inclusive economic growth
and job creation. We acknowledge the diversity of the
private sector, ranging from micro-enterprises to
cooperatives to multinationals. We call upon all
businesses to apply their creativity and innovation to
solving sustainable development
challenges. We will foster a dynamic and well-functioning
business sector, while protecting labour rights and
environmental and health standards in accordance with
relevant international standards and agreements and other
ongoing initiatives in this regard…’ (p. 34)

9. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
 MDGs did have one reference to poor practices by
the pharmaceutical industry
 SDGs
> Some evidence of the pro-poor discourse in the SDGs
> Two references to entrepreneurship
> No references to think tanks and small business
> Many references to the importance of international trade
> Technology versus local knowledge: 40-1
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / CDA of the private sector
CONCLUSIONS

10. • ‘Developmentally
questionable
market opening’
• Legitimisation of
unequal trade
• Failing to assist
business
development
• Subsidies to
European firms
• Regressive
outcomes for
firms, workers
and communities
• Academics and
NGOs
• Pro-poor economic
growth
• Scale up, new fields
unreached people
• Market opening
• Trickle-down
economics
• Business
competitiveness
• Aligning trade
liberalization agendas
• USAID, EU and EC,
DFID, UN and OECD
• Dominant discourse
Positive
impact
Negative
impact
• Instruments
badly
designed
• OECD talking
about
relationships
• Differentiation
of actors
(thinktanks in
developing
countries)
• ‘Bottom of the
pyramid’
economics
• Social
entrepreneurs

11. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
 Some evidence of the pro-poor discourse
 Not surprising as there is evidence that developed
countries, private foundations and corporations were
dominant in the SDG negotiations
 How to push back against the pro-poor discourse
> Emphasize diversity of the private sector
> Advocacy for the areas where there is seen to be benefit
> Ask why the private sector is being involved
Faculty of Science / Athena Institute / CDA of the private sector
CONCLUSIONS