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Separated by a Common Subject University of Nottingham 15th December 2004 Melvin J. Dubnick

Separated by a Common Subject University of Nottingham 15th December 2004 Melvin J. Dubnick Institute of Governance, Public Policy & Social Research. The Issue: Why there is so little interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary work being done on the subject of accountability?.

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Separated by a Common Subject University of Nottingham 15th December 2004 Melvin J. Dubnick

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  1. Separated by a Common Subject University of Nottingham15th December 2004 Melvin J. Dubnick Institute of Governance, Public Policy & Social Research

  2. The Issue: Why there is so little interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary work being done on the subject of accountability?

  3. Obstructions & Barriers • Disciplinary and institutional barriers • Paradigmatic incommensurability • The subject itself: • Taken for granted in Anglo-American context • Lack of equivalent in other languages • Irony of transliteration: they are more likely to “appreciate” the concept (e.g., Brazil)

  4. The Conceptual Problem • “Family Resemblances” • Classic example of Wittgenstein’s language-game • Loose rules of play = synonyms abound • Tighter rules of play = forced specificity (Brazil)

  5. Synonymic Accountability

  6. Disciplinary Foci • Accounting => calculability • Politics => responsiveness • Law => liability • Sociology => excuse-making, justification • Social psychology => answerability within interpersonal relationships • Ethics => moral responsibility

  7. Other distinctions • Epistemological (Habermas): • Positivistic • Interpretive • Critical • Levels of ‘governing’ • Government • Governance • Governmentality • All reinforced by the disciplinary paradigms

  8. Framing some differences

  9. The Big Change • Crisis of trust => “new accountability” • Pervasive, with “quite sharp teeth” • New regulatory state => “audit society” • NPM => fixation on performance measures • Democratic deficit • Transparency • Inclusion • Participation

  10. New Accountability as: • Iconic • Symbol with high rhetorical value • Promiscuous • Promise of democracy • Promise of justice • Promise of ethical behaviour • Promise of performance

  11. What is to be done? • Need for Venues • Conferences • Publications • Centres • Online lists, weblogs, etc. • Avoid the “grand theory” approach • Foster multiple and competing perspectives

  12. Unpaid advert: • Accountable Governance: An International Research Colloquium • October 20-22, QUB Belfast • http://qub.ac.uk/qub2005/ • qub2005@comcast.net

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