Discourse as ideology: Neoliberalism and the limits of international forest policy |
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| Authors: | David Humphreys |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group, Wageningen University, The Netherlands;2. Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The Netherlands;3. Strategic Communication Group, Wageningen University, The Netherlands;1. Forest and Nature Conservation Policy, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg-August University Goettingen, Germany;2. Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Bangladesh;3. Development Associates, Khulna, Bangladesh;1. The European Forest Institute Central-East and South-East European Regional Office (EFICEEC-EFISEE), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Feistmantelstr. 4, A-1180 Vienna, Austria;2. Human Dimensions of Forestry, Scottish School of Forestry, University of Highlands and Islands, 1 Inverness Campus, Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom;3. University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, FI-80100 Joensuu, Finland;4. Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Aalto University, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland;5. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Resource Management, SE 901 83 Umeå, Sweden;6. University Stefan cel Mare Suceava, Faculty of Forestry, Suceava 720225, Romania;7. Department of Creativity and Innovation, Oslo. Kristiania University College, P.O. 1190, Sentrum, 0107 Oslo, Norway;8. Universidad de Alcalá, Plaza de la Victoria, 2, Alcalá de Henares, 28802 Madrid, Spain;9. National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 22, SK-960 92 Zvolen, Slovakia;1. Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia;2. Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia;3. Chair Group of Forest and Nature Conservation Policy, Goettingen University, Germany;4. European Forest Institute, Bonn Office, Germany |
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| Abstract: | The term ‘discourse’ can have different applications in the social and policy sciences to refer variously to generalised ideas, beliefs and assertions. In particular there is a clear difference between discourse as knowledge and discourse as ideology. Epistemically the two are very different, with each making different types of claim. The paper examines the influence of an ideological discourse on international forest policy, namely neoliberalism. A variant of classical liberalism, neoliberalism emphasises an increased role for markets, an enhanced role for the private sector and voluntary regulation. It is argued that all three of these principles have systemically penetrated the international soft law on forests that has been negotiated since 1992 and up and including the 2007 Non-Legally Binding Instrument on all Types of Forests. Neoliberal policies also underpin forest certification schemes and the tradeable emission permits systems adopted under the Kyoto Protocol and the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme. Adopting a Foucauldian approach the paper views the construction of neoliberal discourse and its reiteration in the forests issue area as an expression of power that establishes the limits of international forest policy, tending towards certain policies and inhibiting the selection of others. It is argued that contrary to what is often asserted, neoliberalism depends on a strong state, one that introduces market-based disciplines to new areas and creates political space that can be occupied by private sector businesses. |
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