Omnipresent Austerity

Good morning austerity readers! Today we feature a paper from Nour Afara (University of Ottawa, Canada) on the 'ghostly features' of austerity. Nour's research is on 18th century erotic fiction, and she examines how the affects of shame and guilt are mobilized in texts to 'haunt' heroines, shaping how they think and act in the everyday. In this presentation, and the paper that will follow it, Nour applies her theoretical framework to austerity. She demonstrates how austerity - broadly conceptualized as demands for 'fiscal responsibility' - are omnipresent in budgets, political reporting, and public opinion, haunting everyday discussions. This is not to say that fiscal responsibility is irrelevant, but that its constant evocation, particularly in very rigid and moralistic terms, constrains political and policy possibilities.

You can find the presentation on our Research Page under 'Ideas & Advocacy'. We will post the full paper from Nour in the coming weeks!   

Nour is the grant's knowledge mobilization officer and new project manager, so everything you see from us is cultivated by her!

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