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Getting down to business? Critical discourse analysis of perspectives on the private sector in sustainable development

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  • Sarah Cummings
  • Anastasia‐Alithia Seferiadis
  • Leah de Haan

Abstract

Critical discourse analysis is employed to examine discourses of the private sector within key texts of the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Taking a genealogical approach, four discourses are identified in the literature: the dominant, pro‐private sector discourse, showing unconditional support for the private sector; the sceptical discourse; the middle‐ground discourse with new approaches, specifically designed to leverage development relevance; and the antiprivate sector discourse, which considers that current approaches to the private sector will not be conducive to sustainable development of the global South. The pro‐private sector discourse was found to be predominant within the global goals, reflecting the post‐Washington Consensus as well as the role of the developed countries and the corporate sector in their formulation. All discourses on the private sector, however, place an emphasis on economic and social development at the expense of the key environmental component of sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Cummings & Anastasia‐Alithia Seferiadis & Leah de Haan, 2020. "Getting down to business? Critical discourse analysis of perspectives on the private sector in sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 759-771, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:28:y:2020:i:4:p:759-771
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.2026
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    3. Gamze Erdem Türkelli, 2022. "Multistakeholder Partnerships for Development and the Financialization of Development Assistance," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 53(1), pages 84-116, January.
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    5. Chen, Ji & Huang, Jiayan & Su, Weihua & Štreimikienė, Dalia & Baležentis, Tomas, 2021. "The challenges of COVID-19 control policies for sustainable development of business: Evidence from service industries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    6. Peter Ferguson & Linda Wollersheim, 2023. "From sustainable development to resilience? (Dis)continuities in climate and development policy governance discourse," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 67-77, February.

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