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Tuesday, 29 October 2024
On Tuesday last, October 22, Professor Sheila Killian delivered her inaugural lecture at the Kemmy Business School. The title of the lecture was Accounting for Truth, and it focused on accounting in everyday life, rather than only in business, exploring the power it has to shape the way we think and talk, and how, even when we’re not aware of it, that affects social inequality, sustainability, and the ways in which we make decisions and respond to change.
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“If we think of accounting as a language, it can really explain the way in which it’s used to include some issues and exclude others,” Professor Killian remarked. “Even better, if we think of the way we use language as a form of accounting or the giving of an account, we can use core accounting concepts to be more inclusive and decisive in the way we relate to each other as human beings, and the way we form policy for a diverse and sustainable society.” She drew on examples ranging from social accounting in modern supply chains to popular culture, highlighting the ways in which ideas from Brehon Law and the Common Good could improve the way in which we are accountable to each other.
The lecture was preceded by an address by Professor Shane Kilcommins, acting President of UL, who spoke about Professor Killian’s career and contribution, and linked to the topic by discussing the nature of evidence and how it relates to justice. Professor Finbarr Murphy, Executive Dean of the Kemmy Business School also spoke, referencing the importance of accountability and the research being doing in the KBS by the ARC Accountability Research Cluster.
The lecture was attended by a wide range of faculty from across the University as well as students and members of the public, and a lively discussion followed.
Email: business@ul.ie
Postal Address: Faculty Office, Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
