Agenda 21 revealed : a NUD.IST analysis of an environmental policy text

Abstract

Abstract of a thesis examining the portrayal and empowerment of non-governmental organisations within an environmental policy text. Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 there has been ongoing discussion regarding the roles of and for non-governmental organisations in the environmental policy process. Specifically, the tension of non-governmental organisations within the United Nations construct has been highlighted as a concern. This thesis looks to this tension by examining a major United Nations sanctioned environmental policy document, namely Agenda 21. This thesis poses two major research questions: how are non-governmental organisations portrayed in Agenda 21?; and how empowering are those portrayals?

Using frameworks of Textually Oriented Discourse Analysis (TODA) and Organic Empowerment Theory (OET), this thesis uncovers the dominant meanings residing within Agenda 21 in order to answer the two research questions. This is achieved through coding the text in accordance with four language style categories, these are: the hortatory language style; the legal language style; the administrative language style; and the bargaining language style.

In undertaking the coding, this thesis draws on a computer aided qualitative research tool called NUD.IST. This research tool allows the research data to be coded in both a quantitative and qualitative way. These findings are combined to give conclusions regarding the two research questions.