Discourse (vs. Language)

From Geography

Discourse in the first sense of word is the studied in corpus linguistics. Analysis of discourse in the second and third senses is carried out within a variety of traditions that investigate the relations between language, structure and agency, including sociology, feminist studies, anthropology, ethnography, cultural studies, literary theory, and the philosophy of science. Within these fields, the notion of "discourse" is itself subject to discourse, that is, debated on the basis of specialized knowledge. Discourse can be observed in multimodal or multimedia forms of communication including the use of spoken, written and signed language in contexts spanning from oral history to instant message conversations to textbooks. Discourse and language transformations are ascribed to progress or the need to develop new or more “accurate” words to describe new discoveries, understandings, or areas of interest. In modern times, language and discourse are dissociated from power and ideology and instead conceptualized as “natural” products of common sense usage or progress. Thus language gives us a meaning to environment , Jürgen Habermas speaks therefore of speech acts.

In the post structuralist tradition Michel Foucault 's definition of discourse as “systems of thoughts composed of ideas, attitudes, courses of action, beliefs and practices that systematically construct the subjects and the worlds of which they speak." He traces the role of discourses as language in wider social processes of legitimating and power, emphasizing the construction of current truths, how they are maintained and what power relations they carry with them.” Foucault later theorized that discourse vs. language is a medium through which power relations produce speaking subjects. It's not only language itself, but it is something bigger. Foucault (1977, 1980) argued that power and knowledge are inter-related and therefore every human relationship is a struggle and negotiation of power. Foucault further stated that power is always present and can both produce and constrain the truth. Discourse according to Foucault (1977, 1980, 2003) is related to power as it operates by rules of exclusion. Discourse therefore is controlled by objects and therefore language, what can be spoken of; ritual, where and how one may speak.

Examples of discourses

In social sciences and humanities it is believed that discourses affect our views on all things. The discourse gives us boundaries on what can be said about a specific topic: "the limits of acceptable speech" (Butler, 1997). Discourses affect our views on things. For example, a very distinct discourse can be used for talking about the Irish Republican Army (IRA). One could describe them as being "terrorists", another as being "freedom fighters". The chosen discourse provides the vocabulary, expressions and the style needed to communicate. When the main discourse in society is 'terrorists', than people (in general) will get a negative view on the IRA.

In a whole other sphere, that of health-care, the discourse about "catching a fever" is an apparent one, whether it is true or not. When one says "I have a caught a fever because I got caught in the rain last night", this is an example of a discourse. A discourse is a system which is composed of ideas, attitudes, beliefs and more. The idea of catching a fever in the rain is a typical example of believing you will get a cold after getting wet in the rain.

References

• Butler, J. (1997). Excitable Speech: A Politics of the Performative.

• Foucault, M. (1983) Afterword: the subject and power. In: Dreyfus, H.L. & Rabinow, P. Michel Foucault: beyond structuralism and hermeneutics. Univer-sity of Chicago Press, Chicago.

• Gibson-Graham, J.K. (2000) Poststructuralist interventions. In, E. Sheppard & T. Barnes (eds.) A Companion to Economic Geography. Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 95-110.

• Hall, S. (ed.) (1997) Saussure’s Legacy (pp. 30-33); Discourse, power and the subject pp, 41-45.

Contributors

Published by Jorg Schröder (s4083245) & Ivar Le Loux (s4092031)

Links added by --SusanVerbeij 11:09, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

Page edited and improved by Lars-Olof Haverkort --LarsHaverkort 16:13, 19 September 2012 (CEST)