Exploring corruption through metaphor: Insights from Ghana

In the last week before Christmas, Emma Kusuoba Pedavoah, who submitted her PhD in March of this year, presented her research in a lecture titled "Metaphorising Corruption in Selected SONAs of the Fourth Republic of Ghana: A Discourse Dynamics to Metaphor Analysis and Cultural Model Approach."
Her work provides a compelling analysis of corruption in Ghana's State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs), combining linguistic insights with cultural conceptualizations. Employing Pragglejazz’s Metaphor Identification Process (MIP) and Lynne Cameron’s Dynamic Discourse Approach to Metaphor Analysis, the lecture explored how metaphors shape and reflect societal views on corruption.
Her findings reveal metaphors in Ghana's political discourse such as corruption as war, corruption as sickness, and the nation as a family. Interestingly, certain practices, such as bribery as gift-giving, are culturally conceptualized not as corruption but as a positive act of appreciation or favoritism.
This interdisciplinary approach underscores the importance of considering both linguistic and cultural dimensions in understanding political and social phenomena. We thank Emma for her insightful contribution.