Qualitative methods 3 Flashcards
What is discourse
- are systems of meaning
- construct particular versions of the world
- provide a framework which we can understand objects and practices
- also helps us to understand who we are and what we should do in relation to those systems
What does discourse mean (definition)
- refers to any talk or text
- any form of meaningful interaction between people
- could be bodily movements or visual signs
Define language, discourse and communication
Language - linguistic - what does language do in the immediate context
Communication - a medium for transferring thoughts
Discourse - interested in function of language
What does discourse do? (3)
- saves the environment
- sets a trend
- is very profitable
3 assumptions of discourse analysis
- social life is made up of talk and text
- talk does things - actively constructs our world via interactions
- multiple realities - multiple ways of understanding something
What does discourse analysis look at?
- the language in a different way and to ask different questions about it
- particular way of reading - reading of action orientation = what is this text doing, rather than simply reading for meaning
Research process (DA)
- research question
- research design and data collection
- transcription
- coding
- analysis and interpretation
- presenting findings
What is discursive psychology (DP)?
- concerned with psychology like memory and identity
- it focuses on psychological themes within talk, texts and images
- things that are constructed, attended to, and understood in interaction
- believe them to be discursive not cognitive processes
- memory and identity is something people do rather than something they have
- how people handle accountability and stake in everyday life
research question within DP tradition
- concerned with how people manage psychological matters in everyday life
- e.g. how they construct their identities when discussing friendship
- focus on ‘how’ questions
Data collection within DP tradition
- unsolicited, naturally occurring conversation
- unsolicited conversations can be unethical so usually tend to be semi-structured interviews
- need a familiar setting
- OR group conversations - making it more spontaneous and relaxed
Transcription within DP tradition
- time consuming
- because DA focuses so much on discourse, it is extra important that a lot of focus is put on accurately telling the way things were said
- should contain some non-linguistic features
DA within the DP tradition
- reading - read the text, interrogate the discourse and ask what is the discourse doing?
- read and reread the text - coding - relevant sections are highlighted, copied and filed for analysis
- include all potentially relevant material to the research question - analysis - why am I reading this passage? what features produce this reading?
- context important
- interpretive repertoires = conflicting constructions of subjects and objects in texts - writing - how much was the data obtained/ produced?
- what kind of event did the data constitute?
Foucauldian Discourse analysis (FDA)
- influenced by Michel Foucault and his post structural ideas
- concerned with language in the structure of social and psychological life (different to DF)
- believe that discourse can facilitate and limit what is being said, by whom, where and when
- making certain ways of being the world by certain ways of seeing the world
- Discourses offer subjects positions with implications for subjectivity and experiences - responsibilities in terms of what we can and can’t say
- strongly linked to power! = privilege those versions of social reality e.g. mother caregiver father breadwinner
- counter discourses do eventually emerge i.e. alternative constructions
- pays attention to relationship between discourses and institutions
Relationships between discourse and institutions that FDA is concerned with
- discourses are bound up with institutional practices
- discourses legitimate and reinforce existing institutional structures
- e.g. being positioned as the patient - the body becomes an object of legitimate interest to doctors and nurses, being touched is part of the practice of medicine and it’s institution
Relationships that FDA is concerned with
- discourse and how people think and feel = subjectivity
- discourse and what they may do = practices
- discourse and material conditions within which such experience may take place