CDA - CDA as a 'school'
The pages so far in this section have been a summary of the role and status of CDA as a 'school', but the following points can be made which question how the 'school' functions :-
  • with a variety of theoretical background(s), CDA works eclectically, touching on the whole range from grand theories to linguistic techniques - each individual approach emphasises different levels
  • there is no accepted canon for data collection
  • operationalising and analysis is problem oriented and implies linguistic expertise
  • many practitioners have a shared interest in social processes of power, hierarchy building, exclusion and subordination
  • CDA in the majority of cases takes the part of the underprivileged
  • CDA tries to show the linguistic means used by the privileged to stabilise or even intensify iniquities in society

Therefore Widdowson says "CDA constantly sits on the fence between social research and political argumentation" (from Jaeger, 2001, p. 34 references)

 

 

 

Please contact me at george@whatever-will.be if you are interested in the above

(0044)(0) 1372-749803

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