Bakhtin’s chronotope, connotations, and discursive psychology: towards a richer interpretation of experience

ABSTRACT

In this article, we draw on the Bakhtinian concept of chronotope to make the theoretical argument that the turn to embodiment can be supplemented through a consideration of connotation in discursive psychology. We use Billig’s conception of linguistic repression as a test case as to how connotation can supplement discursive analysis, but we use our own interview material to do so. From establishing the case that connotation, understood through the lens of chronotope, is potentially of vital interest to discursive psychology, we move to drawing out three implications for doing qualitative research differently. First, we suggest researchers need to feel the chronotope of the interview to manage its connotations in vivo. Second, we draw attention to the role of the absent other in everyday speech and how this absent other can be analysed differently to a typical discourse analysis—as layering connotations into speech. Finally, we draw attention to the hermeneutic attitude of earnest irony when doing research as a further means of generating and managing connotations.

KEYWORDS:

• Billig
• Carnival
• Chronotope
• Connotation
• Direct Speech
• Repression

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

¹ All of the illustrative excerpts come from the same interview and so we denote the excerpts using the start time in the interview.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James Cresswell

James (Jim) Cresswell’s research interests draw on many sources ranging from cultural psychology to cognitive science and literary theory. In particular, he is interested in Bakhtin, qualitative research, the cognitive science of religion, and immigration. A large proportion of his work involves community-based work aimed at using his research expertise and experience to support community organizations. His work has been supported by various funding bodies such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Templeton Foundation, the Canadian Council of Churches, and so forth.

Paul Sullivan

Dr. Paul Sullivan is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Bradford. He is the author of 'Qualitative Data Analysis Using a Dialogical Approach' and his research is concerned with the role of creativity and imagination in everyday psychological, methodological and organisational life.