CDA Principles PDF

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CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS...

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CDA’s main principles Simpson & Mayr 2010: 52-53 In a seminal paper, Fairclough and Wodak (1997) outline eight key theoretical and methodological principles of CDA. Summary of these principles is given blow:

1. CDA addresses social problems CDA is cast here not as a dispassionate and objective social science, but as engaged and committed; it is also seen as a form of intervention in social practice and social relationships (Fairclough and Wodak 1997: 258). Fairclough and Wodak go further, arguing that many analysts are politically active against racism, or as feminists, or within the peace movement and that what is distinctive about CDA is that it intervenes on the side of dominated and oppressed groups and against dominating groups, and that it openly declares the emancipatory interests that motivate it. 2. Power relations are discursive This means that the primary focus is on how power relations are exercised and negotiated in discourse (Fairclough and Wodak 1997: 258). 3. Discourse constitutes society and culture This is the commonly adopted position that language both reflects and (re) produces social relations in a two-way relationship: ‘every instance of language use makes its own contribution to reproducing and/or transforming society and culture, including power relations’ (Fairclough and Wodak 1997: 273) 4. Discourse does ideological work This principle is expanded to mean that ideologies are particular ways of representing and constructing society, which reproduce ‘unequal relations of power, relations of domination and exploitation’ (Fairclough and Wodak 1997: 273). When critical discourse analysts (particularly Fairclough) argue that texts are ideologically shaped by power relations they use the term ideology in the sense of hegemony, which, refers to control through the active consent of people rather than through domination. 5. Discourse is intertextual/historical This is the claim that discourse must always be analysed in context in order to be understood. Context incudes socio-cultural knowledge as well as intertextuality. The concept of intertextuality refers to the way discourses are ‘always connected to other discourses which were produced earlier as well as those which are produced synchronically or subsequently’ (Fairclough and Wodak 1997:276). Examples of intertextuality would be direct and indirect quotes in, for example, newspaper articles or political speeches that may relate to other speeches or may be turned into a news story. Intertextuality also applies to texts which contain allusions to previous texts, such as the use of proverbs, biblical or literary references. Idioms and so on, and where the understanding of which depends on certain intertextual knowledge on the part of the listener or reader.

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6. The link between text and society is indirect or ‘mediated’ CDA attempts to show the connection between properties of text on the one hand, and social and cultural structures and processes on the other. The link between text and society is generally understood as mediated through orders of discourse which is Foucalt’s all-encompassing term covering a range of institutional discourse practices. For instance, the order of discourse that organizes, say, a university will be characterized by a host of interrelated textual practices such as the discourse of essays, meetings, lectures, seminars, administrative texts and so on. 7. Discourse analysis is interpretative and explanatory CDA typically distinguishes three stages of critical analysis: description, interpretation and explanation. 7.1 Description. Text analysis (including verbal, visual or verbal and visual texts). 7.2 Interpretation. Processing analysis - The processes by means of which the object is produced and received. 7.3 Explanation. Social analysis (The socio-historical conditions which govern these processes. 8. Discourse is a form of social action or social practice CDA in this mode is intended to be ‘a socially committed scientific paradigm’ (Fairclough and Wodak 1997: 280). One application of this principle has been the production, following linguistic research, of guidelines for certain communication and behaviour patterns, such as the use of non-sexist or non-racist language. The intended outcome of CDA is therefore a change in discourse and power patterns in certain institutions. For example, Van Dijk’s discovery of potentially racist language in Dutch schoolbooks led directly to the production of new teaching materials (van Dijk 1993a) As these eight key principles show, CDA has a clear concern about the exercise of power in social relations, including gender and race.

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