1) Discretion (sending mail to lists is maybe not such a good start ;)
2) Do not underestimate 'government types' (they might have spent some time in academia ;)
3) They are usually not interested in the theoretical/methodlogical details, but in what your research/insights learn for their policy objectives (Some members of the species might have selective hearing abilities and only hear what supports their own policy ideas ;)
Koen Vleminckx
(verstuurd via Blackberry)
-----Original Message-----
From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu Feb 23 17:53:29 2012
Subject: Advice for speaking to government types
Hello one and all,
I hope you're all doing well -- indeed, I hope you're doing splendidly.
Now, I have a question drawing on your collective expertise.
To my delight and surprise, I've been invited to present some of my
recent research to a group of language policy officials and researchers
in the Welsh Government (some of whom may be on this list I suppose,
which is fine).
I don't mind admitting this will be my first foray into speaking in the
halls of power, despite masses of experience on the academic conference
circuit (at the expense of publications -- don't do that kids!). Does
anyone have any advice for these sorts of encounters? I've been asked to
focus on the policy implications, which is understandable, but I'm aware
I might be completely blind-sided by their approach, due to
inexperience. Also, my talk is broadly critical of the policies in
question (in an academic sort of way), so any heads up about that
potential friction would be handy.
If you're interested in details, it's based on an existing presentation,
'Ideological Directions in Welsh Language Policy', which is currently at
the top of my academia.edu talks page:
http://swansea.academia.edu/DaveSayers/Talks. It's also #3 on that list
-- two different presentations of the same research (I do get around).
If you email me separately from the list, then please let me know
whether I can include an anonymised version of your advice in a
collation of similar private emails, which I'll send to the list in due
course.
Thanks muchly,
Dave
--
Dr. Dave Sayers
Honorary Research Fellow
College of Arts & Humanities
and Language Research Centre
Swansea University
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http://swansea.academia.edu/DaveSayers
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