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Plagiarism, cultural diversity and metaphor—implications for academic staff development

Plagiarism is a complex, culturally loaded concept which causes much anxiety for both academics and students. Exactly what constitutes plagiarism is dependent on a number of contextual factors. Despite the difficulties associated with defining and detecting plagiarism, it is said to be on the increase, and students from ‘other cultures’ are frequently highlighted as being perpetrators of this crime against the academic community of enlightened Western scholars. Metaphors of war and battle are common in the discourse of plagiarism which also has clear links to the discourse of Orientalism as described by Edward Said. The paper argues that it is time to change the metaphor and to see teaching to avoid plagiarism as an intercultural encounter rather than a battle that needs to be won. It discusses the implications of viewing plagiarism as a culturally constructed concept and describes four Focus Areas for academic staff development designed to create an academic culture that deters plagiarism by encouraging recognition of and engagement with cultural diversity.