Ch 10 Foucauldian Discourse Analysis Flashcards
When was Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) introduced into psychology?
FDA was introduced in the late 1970s by psychologists influenced by post-structuralist ideas, particularly the work of Michel Foucault.
What is the focus of Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA)?
FDA is concerned with language and its role in the constitution of social and psychological life, focusing on how discourses facilitate and constrain what can be said, by whom, where, and when.
What does FDA explore in terms of discourses?
FDA explores the availability of discursive resources (a “discursive economy”) and how these resources construct objects and subject positions within a culture.
How do discourses affect subjectivity and experience in FDA?
Discourses offer subject positions, which, when adopted, shape a person’s subjectivity and experience, such as the patient role in biomedical discourse.
What is the concept of “positioning” in FDA?
“Positioning” refers to how individuals are placed within specific discourses, impacting their subjectivity and shaping their roles in social interactions.
How does FDA relate to power and legitimation?
FDA is concerned with how dominant discourses legitimate existing power relations and social structures, making it difficult to challenge entrenched ways of thinking.
Can counter-discourses emerge according to FDA?
Yes, despite entrenched discourses, FDA acknowledges that alternative constructions and counter-discourses can eventually emerge.
What is the historical aspect of FDA?
FDA includes a historical perspective, examining how discourses have changed over time and shaped historical subjectivities, as seen in Foucault’s History of Sexuality.
How does FDA connect discourses to institutions?
FDA explores how discourses are bound up with institutional practices, where discourses legitimise institutional structures, and institutions support and validate those discourses.
How does FDA differ from Discursive Psychology (DP)?
Unlike DP, which focuses on talk and interaction, FDA examines the broader relationship between discourse, subjectivity, practices, and material conditions.
Does FDA represent Foucault’s own method?
No, FDA is inspired by Foucault but does not fully represent his method, nor does it address concepts like genealogy and governmentality.
What is FDA’s methodological focus?
FDA is a qualitative method of text analysis that explores how discourse shapes social life and subjectivities.
Where can FDA be carried out?
FDA can be applied wherever there is meaning, not limited to words. Any symbolic system, such as Morse code, architecture, advertisements, or tarot cards, can be analysed.
What does Ian Parker recommend regarding the concept of text in FDA?
Ian Parker suggests that all issues of meaning should be treated as text, allowing for a wide range of materials to be analysed, including non-verbal systems like cities and gardens.
How do you select text for FDA?
The selection of text is guided by the research question, and researchers should consider the text’s status, production, accessibility, and symbolic system.
What types of text might be analysed in FDA?
Texts can range from written documents, transcripts of conversations, campaigns, or symbolic representations, depending on the research focus.
What kind of texts would you analyse to study health psychology’s construction of subjects?
You would analyse health psychology textbooks, research papers, and possibly conversations between health psychologists.
What texts would be analysed for discourses of pain and pain management?
Texts might include literature on biopsychosocial pain theories, patient information (leaflets, videos), and doctor-patient consultations.
What text would be suitable to explore lay people’s construction of meaning?
Semi-structured interview transcripts or focus group discussions would be suitable for studying how ordinary people construct meaning around topics like menopause or national identity.
How can researchers explore the relationship between expert and lay discourses?
They should analyse both expert texts (e.g., documents, publications) and lay accounts (e.g., interviews, discussions, diaries) to examine how public discourses are taken up and transformed.
What is the purpose of the six stages in FDA?
Note : these stages are a shortened adaptation by Willig
The six stages allow the researcher to map discursive resources, subject positions, and implications for subjectivity in practice.
How do these six stages compare to other procedural guides in FDA?
Unlike Parker’s 20 steps, which provide a detailed roadmap, these six stages offer a more concise framework but do not fully address Foucault’s concerns like genealogy or governmentality.
