Textual Analysis Flashcards
In IR, which 2 types of textual analysis have become particularily dominant?
Discourse analysis and content analysis.
What is discourse analysis?
It is a qualitative type of analysis that explores the ways in which discourses give legitimacy and meaning to social practices and institutions. Discourses consiss of ensambles of ideas, concepts, and categories through which meaning is produced in particular historical situation.
Discourse analysis is concerned with analysing, not just the text itself, but the relationship of a text to its context as well as the broader relationship of power and authority which shape context.
What is content analysis?
It is concerned with the study of the text itself, rather than with the broad context within which it is produced. The aim of quantitative context analysis is to draw inferences about the meaning and intentions of a text through an analysis of the usuage and frequency of words, phrases, and images and the pattern they form within a context.
Qualitative content analysis is more interpretative form of analysis, concerned with uncovering meanings, motives and purposes in textual context.
In what way is discoursse analysis constructuvist?
It assumes not only that people will act towards objects, including people, on the basis of that meanings which those objects have for them, but that these meanigs are socially and discursively constructed.
What does Speech Act Theory refer to?
It is a fundamental assumption of discourse analysis; that language is a medium oriented towards action and function; that when we speak (or write), we do so, not only in order to say something, but also to do something.
What does post-structuralist discourse theory refer to?
It assumes that the way people talk about the world reflects, not some only some objective truth about the world, but the success of particular ways of thinking and seeing. These ways of thinking and seeing become invisable because they are assumed to be truthful and right.
Why is Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) “critical”?
It seeks to expose connections between langauge, power and identitiy. It is principally concerned with the role of discourse in enacting, reproducing and resisting social power abuse, dominance and inequality.
In regards to the context in discourse analysis, what is the difference between micro-discourse and macro-discourse?
Language use, discourse, verbal interaction and communication belong to the micro-level of the social order. Power, dominance and inequality between social groups are typically terms that belong to a macro-level of analysis.
Why is the context important for discourse analysis?
To understand the constructive effects of disocures, researchers must place them in their historical and social contexts. Discourse analysis produces its greatest insight when rich contextual information can be factored into the analysis of each text or episode.
What is the second aim of discourse analysis, beside establish an association between context and discourse?
It is to show that discourse has demonstrable effects. Discourse analystist have sought to deliberate the process through which discourse becomes naturalizedso as to become “common sense”- the mechanisms through ehich ‘fixes’ meanings and becomes naturalized.
In which 2 ways can the mechanisms that ‘fixes’ meanings and become naturalized, be understood in terms of social process?
Articulation = the process through which meaning is produced out of extant cultural raw materials or linguistic resources. It 'fixes' meanings through a process of repeatly establishing associations between different elements, so that these elemsents come to be seen as inherently or neccserily connected and the meanings they produce some to seem natural, to be an accurate description of reality. Interpelletion = it is through this process that the acceptance of specific representations is achieved.
In which 2 ways can the validity of a discourse analysis be judged?
In terms of its credibility - its ability to import ‘coherence’ to a text, showing how its fits together in terms of content, functions and effect.
But also in terms of its fruitfulness, - its ability to provide insights thaat may prove useful.
What does content analysis involve, and what is usually the subject of analysis within IR?
Content analysis involves the systematic analysis of textual information. In IR, most text to be analysed are; 1) Offical documents 2) Cultural documents 3) Personal documents
What is the chief advantage of unobstructive means ( content analysis) compared to obstructive methods (surveys, interivews, participant observation)?
They can reduce bias, and most obstructive methods are prone to the Interview effect (where the people up for analysis can feel expected to give ‘socially accaptable answers’).
In addition, obstructive methods are also prone to toe Heisenberger Effect.
In addition to reducing bias, analysing textual information can also enable researchers to gain access to subjects that may be diffucult or impossible to research through direct, personal conntact; and they can study larger populations and more documents than would be possible through either interviews or direct observation.
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative content analysis?
Quantitative analysis is usually refered to as using manifest content of communication. This is the content that is easily observable. (Things that can be counted for example).
Qualitative content analysis is more concerned about the latent content. This refers to look for the meaning of the text ‘between the lines’ and not on the surface of the content.
