The word ‘stakeholder’ stands in for a range of people and practices across many research fields. Dr Caitlin Hafferty, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) at the University of Oxford, is one of three authors to argue that the colonial connotations and ingrained inequalities of the term, require scholars to rethink its use and take greater care with the way in which words shape attitudes and approaches to research.
Language shapes how we understand the world and engage with others. The words we use guide our thoughts, knowledge, actions, decisions, and ultimately how we conceptualise and give meaning to the world around us. While language can be used to promote fairness and inclusion, it can also exacerbate exclusion and systemic injustice.
The word “stakeholder” is used widely by researchers seeking to engage people with their work to achieve impact. The authors argue that the term comes with inherent issues that risk perpetuating inequalities and colonial harm, and may undermine or contradict positive impacts sought by those who use it.
Rather than searching for a single replacement term the authors wanted to open a conversation on decolonisation, diversity, and equity in research and practice. Dr Hafferty, who also works at the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, at the University of Oxford, said:
We wanted to unpack the ethical implications of the widely used term “stakeholder” and in doing so, we aim to open up the conversation around the language we use to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in research and practice.”
Read more in this Impact of Social Science blog which draws on the authors’ article, Reimagining the language of engagement in a post-stakeholder world, published in Sustainability Science, which was produced as part of an international collaboration of more than 30 academics.