‘We don't believe media anymore’: Mapping critical literacies in an adult immigrant language classroom

Abstract

This article maps critical literacies conceptually and empirically in the context of adult immigrant language classrooms. It begins by describing Deleuze and Guattari's cartographic approach. Then it traces critical literacies situated conceptually within a Freirean paradigm before mapping them differently through the Deleuzian-informed Multiple Literacies Theory (MLT). MLT frames critical literacies as reading intensively, that is, disruptively. This alternative conceptualization is then mobilized empirically in relation to the problems and politics produced in the qualitative study of one language classroom. In this classroom, reading a newspaper article provoked a series of transformative events or becomings, a concept created by Deleuze and Guattari and which is central to MLT. A research cartography is presented as a series of vignettes weaving data and concepts. This empirical mapping of media literacies and reading intensively offers insights into the politics of becoming in adult immigrant language classrooms and opens conceptual lines of flight between critical literacies and reading intensively.

Keywords:

• Critical literacies
• language education
• Multiple Literacies Theory
• Deleuze and Guattari
• cartography
• qualitative methodology

Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council through Doctoral Fellowship funding.

Notes

1. The name of the LINC site is a pseudonym which was established in consultation with the teacher.

2. For other instances of qualitative cartographic or rhizoanalytic work in literacies research see Alvermann, 2000; Dufresne, 2006; Eakle, 2007; Leander & Rowe, 2006; Masny, 2009a.

3. Notably, Deleuze's (1968/1994) work in Difference and Repetition shows that the ontological primacy of difference makes such a mimetic representation impossible. Nonetheless, he acknowledges that a tracing ‘intends to reproduce’ (Deleuze & Guattari, 1980/1987, p. 13) and ‘always comes back “to the same” ’ (Deleuze & Guattari, 1980/1987, p. 12).

4. All of the participants’ names are self-selected pseudonyms.

5. Roffe (2005) elaborates Deleuze's reversal of Platonism with respect to the ontological status of simulacra. ‘Simulacra do not refer to anything behind or beyond the world – they make up the world … The simulacrum does not rely upon something beyond it for its force, but is itself force or power; able to do things and not merely represent’ (2005, p. 250).

6. This newspaper article ran on the front page of the Ottawa Citizen, April 14, 2008 (p. A1).

7. Lily is a pseudonym assigned to protect the anonymity of this student.

8. CBC stands for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC is financially supported by the Canadian government and is responsible for providing both radio and television programming to the Canadian public. It also maintains a website with links to video clips, live audio streaming, and podcasts at www.cbc.ca.