How can language (awareness) make the world a better place?

Description

Language and communication have a crucial role in shaping the conceptual foundations of our relationship with our physical environment, our thinking and importantly, our actions. Language – and other meaning-making systems – have a dual function: on the one hand, they are technical tools to achieve goals, from getting things done at work to persuading the public or from effectively conveying information to motivating others.

On the other hand, language constitutes our social, organisational and even physical reality. Words and symbols produce frames for interpretation, affect perceptions and feelings, create relationships and define identities. This is particularly true for abstract societal issues. For example the ‘environment’, or concepts like ‘equality’, ‘biodiversity’ or ‘climate change’ are not directly and sensorially experienced: our source of knowledge of these issues is the many-voiced discourse of scientists and activists, filtered and distorted by traditional and social media (1). But even when we talk about the natural world we do experience, how this knowledge is presented and evaluated can change individual and public perceptions, and consequently action.

Becoming aware of this constitutive role of language is crucial in our information-based society, yet it receives cursory attention (if any) in scientific research and science education. In this talk I will make a case for greater language awareness and discourse consciousness: I will explore how the knowledge about language can empower future generations of professionals to question the taken-for-granted, and provide examples of how such awareness can lead to higher level analytical and critical thinking skills, reflexivity and even a heightened sense of morality.

Period	6-Dec-2022
Held at	Integrated Research on Energy, Environment & Socie
Degree of Recognition	Local