ENH4310

Theories of discourse: poststructuralism, feminism and sociolinguistics

T Threadgold

12 points
* 2 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton

Objectives On successful completion of this subject students should have developed an understanding of selected contemporary approaches to discourse analysis in sociolinguistics, ethnomethodology and poststructuralism; developed an understanding of narrative analysis and its contexts of use; engaged with feminist critiques of and approaches to discourse analysis; acquired the skills and methodologies to use relevant modes of critical discourse analysis in practical contexts of language use.

Synopsis The subject will introduce a number of approaches to discourse analysis: formal approaches which construe discourse as text (Halliday, Fairclough), narratology and narrative analysis (Bal), ethnomethodology (Sacks, Heritage, Smith), speech act theory (Austin), poststructuralist discourse analysis (Foucault, Bakhtin), and various feminist approaches (Cameron, Mills, Lee, Kristeva, de Lauretis, Butler). The subject will encourage students to ask questions about the relations and differences between these various approaches and develop the resources for contextually informed critical discourse analysis in a number of contexts.

Assessment Discourse analysis (2000 words): 30%
* Seminar paper (2000 words): 30%
* Essay (5000 words): 40%
*

Recommended texts

Bal M Death and dissymmetry U Chicago P
Cameron D Feminism and linguistic theory Macmillan
Fairclough N Language and power Longman
Foucault M The order of things Vintage
Smith D Texts, facts and femininity Routledge
Threadgold T Feminist poetics: Poiesis, performance, histories Routledge