IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i13p8133-d855101.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Participatory Detection of Language Barriers towards Multilingual Sustainability(ies) in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriela Litre

    (Praxiling (CNRS MUPVM), 34090 Montpellier, France
    SENS—CIRAD, 34398 Montpellier, France
    Center for Sustainable Development (CDS), University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70904-970, Brazil)

  • Fabrice Hirsch

    (Praxiling (CNRS MUPVM), 34090 Montpellier, France)

  • Patrick Caron

    (ART-DEV—CIRAD, 34398 Montpellier, France
    Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions (MAK’IT), University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France)

  • Alexander Andrason

    (Ancient Studies Department, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa)

  • Nathalie Bonnardel

    (LPS, Aix Marseille University, 13100 Aix-en-Provence, France)

  • Valerie Fointiat

    (PSYCLE & InCIAM, Aix Marseille University, 13621 Aix-en-Provence, France)

  • Wilhelmina Onyothi Nekoto

    (Masakhane, Kalifi 80108, Kenya)

  • Jade Abbott

    (Masakhane, Kalifi 80108, Kenya)

  • Cristiana Dobre

    (Center for Sustainable Development (CDS), University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70904-970, Brazil
    National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Odisseia), Brasilia 70904-970, Brazil)

  • Juliana Dalboni

    (Center for Sustainable Development (CDS), University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70904-970, Brazil
    National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT Odisseia), Brasilia 70904-970, Brazil)

  • Agnès Steuckardt

    (Praxiling (CNRS MUPVM), 34090 Montpellier, France)

  • Giancarlo Luxardo

    (Praxiling (CNRS MUPVM), 34090 Montpellier, France)

  • Hervé Bohbot

    (Praxiling (CNRS MUPVM), 34090 Montpellier, France)

Abstract

After decades of political, economic, and scientific efforts, humanity has not gotten any closer to global sustainability. With less than a decade to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline of the 2030 Agenda, we show that global development agendas may be getting lost in translation, from their initial formulation to their final implementation. Sustainability science does not “speak” most of the 2000 languages from Africa, where the lack of indigenous terminology hinders global efforts such as the COVID-19 pandemic fight. Sociolinguistics, social psychology, cognitive ergonomics, geography, environmental sciences, and artificial intelligence (AI) are all relevant disciplinary fields to uncover the “foreign language effect” that hinders the implementation of the SDGs in Africa. We make the case for detecting and addressing language barriers towards multilingual sustainability in Africa by (1) exploring the ”foreign language effect” among African decision-makers and recognising their alternative social representations about sustainability; and (2) detecting Western language stereotypes about sustainability. We propose rethinking SDG-related scientific notions through participatory natural language processing (NLP) and the study of African social representations of sustainability, thus enabling a more inclusive and efficient approach to “sustainability(ies)”.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriela Litre & Fabrice Hirsch & Patrick Caron & Alexander Andrason & Nathalie Bonnardel & Valerie Fointiat & Wilhelmina Onyothi Nekoto & Jade Abbott & Cristiana Dobre & Juliana Dalboni & Agnès Steuc, 2022. "Participatory Detection of Language Barriers towards Multilingual Sustainability(ies) in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:8133-:d:855101
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/8133/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/8133/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sarah Wild, 2021. "African languages to get more bespoke scientific terms," Nature, Nature, vol. 596(7873), pages 469-470, August.
    2. Carole‐Anne Sénit & Frank Biermann, 2021. "In Whose Name Are You Speaking? The Marginalization of the Poor in Global Civil Society," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(5), pages 581-591, November.
    3. Van de Velde, Liesbeth & Verbeke, Wim & Popp, Michael & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2010. "The importance of message framing for providing information about sustainability and environmental aspects of energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 5541-5549, October.
    4. Phyliss Jia Gai & Stefano Puntoni & Margaret C Campbell & Peter R Darke, 2021. "Language and Consumer Dishonesty: A Self-Diagnosticity Theory," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 48(2), pages 333-351.
    5. Igor Ferraz da Fonseca & Marcel Bursztyn & Benjamin S. Allen, 2012. "Trivializing sustainability: Environmental governance and rhetorical free‐riders in the Brazilian Amazon," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 36(1), pages 28-37, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, Changdong, 2024. "How consumers respond to service failures caused by algorithmic mistakes: The role of algorithmic interpretability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    2. Tan, Fuqiang & Li, Xi & Agarwal, Reeti & Joshi, Yatish & Yaqub, Muhammad Zafar, 2024. "Does multilingual packaging influence purchasing in retail segment? Evidence from multiple experiments," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Derk Jan Stobbelaar & Wim van der Knaap & Joop Spijker, 2021. "Greening the City: How to Get Rid of Garden Pavement! The ‘Steenbreek’ Program as a Dutch Example," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-30, March.
    4. Laura Abrardi, 2019. "Behavioral barriers and the energy efficiency gap: a survey of the literature," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 46(1), pages 25-43, March.
    5. Wang, Jianming & Li, Yongqiang & He, Zhengxia & Gao, Jian & Wang, Jianguo, 2022. "Scale framing, benefit framing and their interaction effects on energy-saving behaviors: Evidence from urban residents of China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    6. S. Ceolotto & E. Denny, 2024. "Putting a New ‘Spin’ on Energy Information: Measuring the Impact of Reframing Energy Efficiency Information on Tumble Dryer Choices in a Multi-country Experiment," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 51-108, March.
    7. Muhammad Ishtiaq Ishaq & Eleonora Di Maria, 2020. "Sustainability countenance in brand equity: a critical review and future research directions," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(1), pages 15-34, January.
    8. Michael Kühnen & Samanthi Silva & Rüdiger Hahn, 2022. "From negative to positive sustainability performance measurement and assessment? A qualitative inquiry drawing on framing effects theory," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1985-2001, July.
    9. Siqi Dai & Kai Chen & Rui Jin, 2022. "The effect of message framing and language intensity on green consumption behavior willingness," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 2432-2452, February.
    10. Vassileva, Iana & Campillo, Javier, 2014. "Increasing energy efficiency in low-income households through targeting awareness and behavioral change," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 59-63.
    11. Garcia, Teresa Cristina & Durand-Morat, Alvaro & Yang, Wei & Popp, Michael & Schreckhise, William, 2022. "Consumers’ willingness to pay for second-generation ethanol in Brazil," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    12. Li, Yaoqi & Liu, Biqiang & Xie, Lishan, 2022. "Celebrity endorsement in international destination marketing: Evidence from eye-tracking techniques and laboratory experiments," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 553-566.
    13. Haarstad, Håvard & Wathne, Marikken W., 2019. "Are smart city projects catalyzing urban energy sustainability?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 918-925.
    14. Mathilde van Dijk & Annet-Jantien Smit & Jan-Peter Nap, 2023. "Message Framing and Attitudes Toward Green Gas Facilities in Rural Communities of The Netherlands," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, September.
    15. John M. Clements, 2016. "The Influence of Religiously and Scientifically Framed Messages on Agreement with Water Use Restrictions," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-15, November.
    16. Alvin Chung Man Leung & Radhika Santhanam & Ron Chi-Wai Kwok & Wei Thoo Yue, 2023. "Could Gamification Designs Enhance Online Learning Through Personalization? Lessons from a Field Experiment," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 27-49, March.
    17. Hongsha Wang & Qihui Chen & Bhagyashree Katare, 2023. "Nudging Chinese consumers to embrace sustainable milk consumption: How should information be provided?," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1512-1534, December.
    18. Beckers, Joris & Cardenas, Ivan & Le Pira, Michela & Zhang, Jia, 2023. "Exploring Logistics-as-a-Service to integrate the consumer into urban freight," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    19. Mohammad Abu Nasir Rakib & Hyo Jung Chang & Robert Paul Jones, 2022. "Effective Sustainability Messages Triggering Consumer Emotion and Action: An Application of the Social Cognitive Theory and the Dual-Process Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-15, February.
    20. Mieko Fujisawa & Kazuhisa Takemura & Yukihiko Funaki & Nobuyuki Uto & Ryo Takahashi, 2020. "An Experimental Study of the Effect of Energy Label Design on the Correct Evaluation of Buildings' Energy Performance and Promotion of Energy Saving," International Real Estate Review, Asian Real Estate Society, vol. 23(1), pages 733-762.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:8133-:d:855101. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.