Dubnick, Melvin J., “Accountability as Cultural Keyword .” Prepared for a presentation at a seminar of the Research Colloquium on Good Governance, Netherlands Institute of Government, 9 May 2012, VU University, Amsterdam NL
Abstract:
This paper examines “accountability” as a cultural phenomenon, and specifically as what Raymond Williams termed a “cultural keyword.” Williams designates as keywords those terms in a community’s vocabulary that not only provide meaningful insights into the priorities and values of that society, but also play a significant role in creating the dynamic cultural milieu that connects and shapes important and problematic social arenas. After positing that accountability has achieved cultural keyword status, I explore the term as a word, concept and speech act. (This is revision dated 5/23/2012.)
A shorter published version is found here .]
AI-Generated Summary:
This document analyzes the evolving cultural significance and multifaceted role of accountability in governance, society, and social trust.
Accountability as a Cultural Keyword
- The term’s significance stems from its complex relations within a society’s cultural milieu, not just its dictionary definition.
- Its rising prominence since the 1960s reflects its expanded, ambiguous, and culturally impactful usage across domains.
Historical Development and Usage Trends
- Accountability first appeared in the 1800s but gained cultural importance in the 1960s-70s, with a sharp increase in usage.
- Today, it is embedded in everyday life, linked to expectations of answerability in politics, finance, and social behavior.
Challenges in Defining Accountability
- The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a quality of liability and responsibility, but this is circular and context-dependent.
- Synonyms like responsibility and liability are similar but not interchangeable across languages and contexts, complicating clear definitions.
Origins and Etymology
- Roots trace to Latin and Old French, meaning “to count” or “reckon,” implying a person’s ability to provide an account.
- Historically, accountability was narrowly associated with bookkeeping and legal testimony, not the broad modern concept.
Usage and Contextual Variability
- Meaning shifts based on context, such as political answerability, corporate responsibility, or legal justice.
- Discourses shape its interpretation: as a promise of democracy, means of control, or legal justice, each with different narratives.
Language Games and Narrative Constructions
- Ludwig Wittgenstein’s concept of language games explains how accountability’s meaning varies with social interactions.
- Narratives around accountability serve reform efforts, emphasizing either democratic ideals, control, or justice.
Conceptual Framework and Synonymic Relations
- Accountability is linked to a network of related terms like responsibility, answerability, and liability.
- Its conceptualization involves understanding how these terms relate within cultural and discursive contexts.
Summary
- Accountability’s cultural prominence results from its complex, context-dependent meanings and discursive uses.
- Its historical roots are narrow, but modern usage has expanded into a broad, ambiguous social and political phenomenon.
Conceptual Character of Accountability
- Accountability is often treated metonymically, as if interchangeable with related terms like legal liability or fiduciary responsibility.
- This approach complicates precise translation and understanding, especially in a globalized economy, leading to efforts to formalize “accountability” as a distinct concept.
Metaphors and Relationships Among Related Terms
- Accountability is viewed as part of a family of related concepts, with any term standing in for the broader idea.
- Misuse, such as equating accountability with democracy, causes confusion and highlights the need to clarify its place within a hierarchy or genus-species framework.
Prominence and Centrality of Accountability
- Since the mid-20th century, accountability has emerged as a key concept linked to public values like democracy, justice, and efficiency.
- Its association with reform movements in the 1960s-1980s, such as New Public Administration and New Public Management, boosted its prominence as a governance tool.
Accountability as Speech Act and Cultural Keyword
- The concept functions as locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary speech acts, influencing political responses and emotional reactions.
- Over recent decades, accountability has become a powerful cultural keyword, symbolizing legitimacy and credibility in international and domestic governance.
Historical Roots and Pedigree of Accountability
- Evidence suggests accountability-like systems existed in ancient civilizations, including China, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Israel.
- The modern notion likely evolved from medieval oaths and legitimacy practices, with accountability as a speech act rooted in conquest and authority re-establishment.
Accountability in Historical Governance
- Norman conquest introduced oath-based accountability, exemplified by William the Conqueror’s Salisbury oath, foundational to modern governance.
- Such practices aimed to instill obligation and responsibility, often reinforced through religious or sacramental means, shaping early state formation.
Cultural and Psychological Foundations
- Accountability’s roots extend beyond institutions to emotional and affective responses, reinforced through myths, religion, and internalized norms.
- Modern research in moral psychology and neuroscience supports the idea that accountability is fundamentally linked to emotional reactions to words and concepts.
Challenges and Future of Accountability
- The pedigree analysis of accountability as a speech act is limited; historical evidence may reflect modern biases.
- Words like accountability are subject to change and challenge, with other concepts like efficiency or governance gaining prominence over time.
Role of Language and Speech Acts
- Accountability functions as a speech act with locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary dimensions, influencing behavior and political responses.
- Its performative power has grown, making it a rhetorical and emotional tool in global political language and international relations.
Broader Implications and Critical Perspectives
- Excessive focus on concepts can obscure practical impacts; understanding the underlying meaning is crucial for effective governance.
- Continued exploration of accountability as a cultural keyword can reveal why policies often fail and prevent overreliance on it as a universal solution.