Glossary

Discourse analysis is a powerful tool for understanding how language shapes social reality. It examines texts and conversations to uncover hidden meanings, power dynamics, and ideological assumptions. By integrating linguistic analysis with social theory, researchers can reveal the complex ways communication influences our world.

This approach offers valuable insights for advanced communication research. It allows scholars to critically examine media, politics, and organizations, exposing how language constructs identities, reinforces power structures, and influences public opinion. Discourse analysis challenges us to look beyond surface meanings and consider the broader social implications of how we communicate.

Foundations of discourse analysis

  • Examines language use in social contexts to uncover underlying meanings and power structures
  • Integrates linguistic analysis with social theory to understand how communication shapes reality
  • Crucial for advanced communication research by revealing hidden assumptions and ideologies in texts

Origins and development

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  • Emerged in the 1960s as an interdisciplinary field combining linguistics, sociology, and anthropology
  • Influenced by structuralism and post-structuralism (Saussure, Foucault)
  • Evolved from focus on isolated sentences to analysis of entire texts and social contexts
  • Key contributors include , , and

Key theoretical approaches

  • Social constructionism views discourse as constituting social reality
  • Critical theory examines how language perpetuates power imbalances
  • Interactional sociolinguistics focuses on how context shapes meaning in conversation
  • Poststructuralism emphasizes the fluid nature of meaning in language

Discourse vs conversation analysis

  • Discourse analysis examines broader social and cultural contexts of language use
  • focuses on the structure and organization of talk-in-interaction
  • Discourse analysis considers written and spoken texts, while conversation analysis primarily studies spoken interactions
  • Both approaches examine turn-taking and sequence organization, but with different emphases

Elements of discourse

Linguistic features

  • Lexical choices reveal ideological positions and
  • Syntactic structures (active/passive voice) can emphasize or de-emphasize agency
  • Cohesion devices (pronouns, conjunctions) create textual coherence
  • Modality expresses degrees of certainty or obligation
  • Presuppositions embed assumptions within statements

Context and meaning

  • Situational context includes immediate physical and social environment
  • Cultural context encompasses shared beliefs, values, and norms
  • connects texts to broader discourses and genres
  • Frames organize experience and guide interpretation of events
  • Co-text refers to surrounding linguistic material that influences meaning

Power dynamics in discourse

  • naturalize dominant ideologies
  • Access to discourse reflects and reinforces social power
  • Discursive strategies (legitimation, mitigation) maintain power relations
  • challenge dominant narratives
  • shows how power operates across different domains (politics, media)

Methodological approaches

Data collection techniques

  • Naturally occurring data captures authentic language use in context
  • Elicited data allows for controlled comparison of specific phenomena
  • Corpus compilation gathers large-scale textual data for analysis
  • Ethnographic methods provide rich contextual information
  • Multimodal data collection includes visual and auditory elements

Transcription methods

  • Jeffersonian notation system captures detailed features of spoken interaction
  • Simplified transcription focuses on content rather than delivery
  • Time-aligned transcripts synchronize text with audio/video recordings
  • Multimodal transcription includes gestures, gaze, and other non-verbal elements
  • Software tools (ELAN, Praat) facilitate detailed and accurate transcription

Coding and categorization

  • identifies initial themes and concepts in the data
  • establishes relationships between categories
  • integrates categories around core themes
  • uses participants' own words as category labels
  • refines categories through ongoing analysis

Analytical frameworks

Critical discourse analysis

  • Examines how language reproduces social inequalities and power imbalances
  • Focuses on ideological effects of discourse in maintaining hegemony
  • Analyzes texts at micro (linguistic features), meso (discursive practices), and macro (social structures) levels
  • Key concepts include interdiscursivity, recontextualization, and orders of discourse
  • Applied to issues of racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in public discourse

Foucauldian discourse analysis

  • Based on 's theories of power, knowledge, and subjectivity
  • Examines how discourses construct objects of knowledge and subject positions
  • Focuses on historical conditions that make certain statements possible or impossible
  • Analyzes discursive formations and their effects on social practices
  • Emphasizes the productive nature of power in shaping identities and institutions

Multimodal discourse analysis

  • Extends analysis beyond verbal language to include visual, auditory, and spatial modes
  • Examines how different semiotic resources (images, layout, sound) interact to create meaning
  • Analyzes composition, , and salience in multimodal texts
  • Considers how technology shapes multimodal communication practices
  • Applied to advertising, social media, and other forms of digital communication

Applications in communication research

Media discourse analysis

  • Examines how media construct and frame social issues and events
  • Analyzes representation of social actors and groups in news coverage
  • Investigates intertextuality between different media platforms and genres
  • Explores audience reception and interpretation of media discourses
  • Considers the impact of digital technologies on media production and consumption

Political discourse analysis

  • Examines rhetorical strategies used by political actors to persuade and legitimize
  • Analyzes construction of political identities and ideologies in speeches and debates
  • Investigates discursive construction of national identity and international relations
  • Explores the role of metaphor and narrative in political communication
  • Considers the impact of social media on political discourse and public opinion

Organizational discourse analysis

  • Examines how language shapes organizational culture and identity
  • Analyzes power dynamics and decision-making processes in workplace interactions
  • Investigates discursive construction of leadership and management practices
  • Explores the role of storytelling and sensemaking in organizational change
  • Considers the impact of digital communication on organizational discourse

Ethical considerations

Researcher positionality

  • Acknowledges researcher's own social position and biases in analysis
  • Requires reflexivity about how researcher's background influences interpretation
  • Considers power dynamics between researcher and participants
  • Encourages transparency about theoretical assumptions and analytical choices
  • Balances emic (insider) and etic (outsider) perspectives in analysis

Representation and interpretation

  • Ensures fair and accurate representation of participants' voices
  • Considers potential consequences of analysis for represented individuals or groups
  • Balances between descriptive accuracy and critical interpretation
  • Acknowledges multiple possible readings of the same text or interaction
  • Addresses issues of translation and cross-cultural interpretation
  • Protects participants' identities through anonymization of data
  • Obtains informed consent for recording and analyzing naturally occurring interactions
  • Considers ethical implications of analyzing publicly available data (social media)
  • Addresses issues of copyright and ownership in discourse analysis of published texts
  • Ensures secure storage and handling of sensitive discourse data

Limitations and critiques

Subjectivity in analysis

  • Acknowledges potential for researcher bias in interpretation
  • Addresses critiques of "cherry-picking" examples to support predetermined conclusions
  • Implements strategies for enhancing analytical rigor (peer debriefing, member checking)
  • Considers limitations of researcher's linguistic and cultural competence
  • Balances between close textual analysis and broader contextual understanding

Generalizability of findings

  • Recognizes limitations of small-scale, qualitative discourse studies
  • Addresses critiques of lack of representativeness in sample selection
  • Considers transferability of findings to other contexts or populations
  • Implements strategies for enhancing external validity (theoretical sampling, thick description)
  • Balances between depth of analysis and breadth of coverage

Interdisciplinary challenges

  • Navigates tensions between linguistic and social science approaches
  • Addresses critiques of lack of methodological rigor from positivist perspectives
  • Considers challenges of integrating discourse analysis with quantitative methods
  • Implements strategies for enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration and communication
  • Balances between specialized discourse analytical terminology and broader accessibility

Advanced techniques

Corpus-assisted discourse analysis

  • Combines qualitative analysis with quantitative corpus linguistics methods
  • Uses large-scale textual data to identify patterns and trends in language use
  • Implements concordance analysis to examine word usage in context
  • Applies collocation analysis to reveal semantic associations between words
  • Considers challenges of balancing "big data" approaches with close textual analysis

Digital discourse analysis

  • Examines language use in online environments and digital media
  • Analyzes features of computer-mediated communication (emoticons, hashtags)
  • Investigates discursive construction of online identities and communities
  • Explores impact of platform affordances on discourse practices
  • Considers ethical and methodological challenges of analyzing "big social data"

Cross-cultural discourse analysis

  • Examines discourse practices across different cultural and linguistic contexts
  • Analyzes translation and interpretation in intercultural communication
  • Investigates cultural variation in politeness strategies and face-work
  • Explores discursive construction of cultural identities and stereotypes
  • Considers methodological challenges of comparative discourse analysis

Integration with other methods

Discourse analysis vs content analysis

  • Discourse analysis focuses on how meaning is constructed through language
  • Content analysis quantifies occurrence of predefined categories in texts
  • Discourse analysis emphasizes context and interpretation, content analysis aims for objectivity
  • Both methods can be combined for mixed-methods approach to textual data
  • Discourse analysis provides depth, while content analysis offers breadth of coverage

Combining qualitative and quantitative approaches

  • Integrates close textual analysis with statistical patterns in large datasets
  • Implements mixed-methods designs (sequential, concurrent, transformative)
  • Uses quantitative methods to identify trends for in-depth qualitative analysis
  • Applies qualitative insights to refine quantitative coding schemes
  • Considers challenges of integrating different epistemological approaches

Triangulation in discourse studies

  • Combines multiple data sources, methods, or theoretical perspectives
  • Enhances validity and reliability of discourse analytical findings
  • Implements methodological triangulation (combining different analytical approaches)
  • Applies data triangulation (analyzing discourse across different contexts or time periods)
  • Considers challenges of reconciling potentially conflicting results from different methods

Key Terms to Review (27)

Axial Coding: Axial coding is a key process in qualitative research where data is organized and connected to identify relationships between categories. It involves reassembling data that was fractured during initial coding, allowing researchers to refine their analyses by exploring the links between concepts and variables. This method is crucial in building a coherent narrative from the data, especially in grounded theory approaches, by focusing on central themes and their relationships.
Constant Comparative Method: The constant comparative method is a qualitative research technique used to analyze data by continuously comparing new data with existing data throughout the research process. This method allows researchers to develop and refine theories as they collect and code data, ensuring that the analysis remains dynamic and responsive to emerging patterns and themes. By iteratively comparing incidents, this approach contributes significantly to grounded theory development and facilitates a deeper understanding of the data being examined.
Conversation Analysis: Conversation analysis is a method of studying the structure and organization of talk in interaction, focusing on how participants create meaning through their conversational practices. It emphasizes the importance of context, turn-taking, and the social rules that govern interactions, revealing how everyday conversations are constructed and understood. This approach connects to broader discourse analysis by examining how language functions in social settings and influences communication.
Critical Discourse Analysis: Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is a research approach that examines the ways language and communication shape and are shaped by social power dynamics, ideology, and cultural contexts. It connects language to societal issues, uncovering hidden meanings and biases in discourse that reflect power relations. By analyzing the structure and content of communication, CDA reveals how discourse influences and perpetuates social inequalities.
Discourse-historical approach: The discourse-historical approach is a method in discourse analysis that examines the relationship between discourse and historical context. This approach emphasizes understanding how language and communication practices are shaped by and reflect social, political, and historical factors, allowing researchers to uncover the ways in which power dynamics are constructed and maintained through discourse.
Discursive formation: Discursive formation refers to the processes through which language and discourse create and shape social knowledge, identities, and power relations. This concept emphasizes that the way we talk about and understand various subjects is not neutral but rather constructed through historical, cultural, and social contexts. Discursive formations highlight how certain ways of speaking become dominant, influencing perceptions and practices within society.
Erving Goffman: Erving Goffman was a Canadian sociologist known for his contributions to understanding social interactions, especially through the lens of dramaturgy and the presentation of self in everyday life. His work emphasizes how individuals manage their identities and impressions in social settings, highlighting the role of context in shaping communication. Goffman's ideas connect closely to observational research and discourse analysis, where understanding behavior and language use is key to interpreting social dynamics.
Framing: Framing refers to the way information is presented or structured, influencing how people perceive and interpret that information. It shapes the context around issues, events, or topics, guiding audiences to focus on certain aspects while downplaying others. Through specific word choices, imagery, and presentation styles, framing plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and discourse.
Hegemonic discourses: Hegemonic discourses refer to the dominant narratives and ideas that shape societal beliefs and practices, often reinforcing power structures and inequalities. These discourses are pervasive and can manifest in various forms, such as language, media representation, and institutional practices, influencing how individuals perceive their realities and the norms that govern their lives.
In-vivo coding: In-vivo coding is a qualitative data analysis technique that involves using the actual words or phrases of participants as codes to categorize and interpret data. This method helps researchers stay close to the participants' perspectives and ensures that the meanings are grounded in their lived experiences. By utilizing in-vivo codes, researchers can effectively capture the nuances of language and meaning within the context of social interactions and communication patterns.
Interdiscursivity: Interdiscursivity refers to the way different discourse types, practices, or genres interact with each other within communication. This concept highlights how texts and spoken language incorporate elements from various discourses, creating layered meanings and connections that reflect cultural and social dynamics.
Intertextuality: Intertextuality is the concept that a text (such as a written work, film, or other forms of media) is interconnected with other texts and draws upon them for meaning. This relationship can manifest through references, quotations, or allusions, which create layers of meaning and enrich the understanding of a text by placing it within a broader cultural and literary context. It emphasizes that no text exists in isolation but rather engages in a dialogue with others, influencing and shaping interpretations.
Language ideology: Language ideology refers to the beliefs, attitudes, and conceptions about language that shape how individuals and societies view language use and its social implications. These ideologies can influence everything from communication practices to policies regarding language education and preservation, often reflecting broader cultural, political, and historical contexts.
Michel Foucault: Michel Foucault was a French philosopher and social theorist known for his influential ideas on power, knowledge, and discourse. His work examined how social institutions, such as prisons, hospitals, and schools, shape human behavior and knowledge production, leading to his development of discourse analysis as a method for understanding the relationship between language and power. Foucault's theories provide crucial insights into how various forms of discourse influence societal norms and practices.
Narrative analysis: Narrative analysis is a qualitative research method that focuses on the stories people tell and the meanings they attribute to those stories. It examines how individuals construct their identities and experiences through narratives, emphasizing the context in which these narratives are produced and understood. This approach highlights the role of language, culture, and social interactions in shaping narratives, making it relevant to various research paradigms.
Norman Fairclough: Norman Fairclough is a prominent linguist and scholar known for his work in discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis. His theories emphasize the relationship between language, power, and social practices, highlighting how discourse shapes and reflects social realities. Fairclough's contributions have been influential in understanding how language is used in various contexts to construct meaning and identity.
Open coding: Open coding is the initial step in qualitative data analysis where researchers break down data into discrete parts to identify and label concepts, themes, or patterns. This process allows for a detailed examination of the data, facilitating the emergence of new ideas and categories, which can then be used for further analysis. It serves as a foundational practice in various qualitative methodologies, enabling a more nuanced understanding of complex data sets.
Power relations: Power relations refer to the dynamics of power between individuals or groups in social interactions, influencing how authority and influence are distributed and exercised. These relationships shape how people communicate, negotiate, and assert their needs, creating a framework for understanding social hierarchies and inequalities. The analysis of power relations is essential in exploring the implications of discourse, as it highlights how language reflects and constructs power dynamics within society.
Resistance Discourses: Resistance discourses refer to the ways in which marginalized groups challenge dominant narratives and power structures through language and communication. These discourses can manifest in various forms, such as social movements, protests, and alternative media, serving as a means for individuals and communities to assert their identities and push back against oppression.
Ruth Wodak: Ruth Wodak is a prominent linguist known for her influential work in discourse analysis, particularly in the areas of political discourse and identity. She emphasizes the importance of context in understanding how language shapes and reflects social realities, and her research often explores the intersection of language, power, and ideology within various communicative contexts.
Selective coding: Selective coding is a process in qualitative research where the researcher focuses on identifying and relating core categories to subcategories in order to build a cohesive theory. It helps researchers sift through vast amounts of data to find central themes that capture the essence of their study. This technique emphasizes understanding how different pieces of data connect and contribute to the overarching narrative, making it crucial for constructing meaningful interpretations.
Situated meaning: Situated meaning refers to the context-dependent understanding of language and communication, where the interpretation of words and phrases is influenced by the social, cultural, and situational contexts in which they are used. This concept emphasizes that meaning is not fixed but rather shaped by the interactions between individuals and their environments, highlighting the importance of context in discourse analysis.
Social context: Social context refers to the environment of people, relationships, and societal influences that shape communication and interactions. It encompasses various factors such as culture, social norms, power dynamics, and the historical background that affect how messages are constructed, interpreted, and understood. Understanding social context is essential for analyzing discourse because it helps identify underlying meanings and the impact of societal structures on communication.
Speech acts: Speech acts are communicative actions that convey meaning and intention through spoken or written language. These acts can serve various functions, such as making requests, giving commands, making promises, or expressing feelings, and are influenced by the context in which they occur. Understanding speech acts is essential for analyzing how language operates beyond mere words, focusing on the implications and effects of communication.
Teun van Dijk: Teun van Dijk is a prominent linguist and discourse analyst known for his extensive research on the relationship between language, discourse, and society. His work emphasizes how discourse shapes social contexts and how power dynamics are represented through language, making him a significant figure in the field of discourse analysis.
Thematic coding: Thematic coding is a qualitative data analysis method used to identify, analyze, and report patterns (themes) within data. It helps researchers organize and interpret large amounts of textual data by breaking it down into meaningful categories, making it easier to draw conclusions about the underlying meanings and relationships present in the data.
Transcription conventions: Transcription conventions are systematic rules used to transcribe spoken language into written form, allowing researchers to represent verbal communication accurately. These conventions help capture nuances such as intonation, pauses, and overlapping speech, which are essential for analyzing discourse and understanding interactions in context.
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