The text as a critical object

Abstract

One of the reasons why critical discourse analysis (CDA) calls itself critical is because its perspectives of discourse and society are derived largely from critical social theory. Transferring these perspectives to educational contexts requires that teachers develop workable pedagogic frameworks and procedures which apply CDA principles and practices to the reading and discussion of texts in the classroom. If these are to be considered ‘critical’, it seems useful that these are also derived from critical social theory. This type of critical theorisation seems to be underdeveloped in a CDA which relies principally on systemic functional linguistics for its procedural attitude to the text. This paper suggests a possible development of this space in which exegetic procedure and discussion are theorised from critical perspectives in the thought of Adorno, Derrida and Habermas, and according to systemic perspectives in the work of Foucault. The paper also presents a framework of analysis for use by teachers and students which is based on these perspectives.

Keywords:

• critical discourse analysis
• critical social theory
• systemic functional linguistics
• immanent critique
• deconstruction
• public sphere
• power

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to Allan Luke for comments he made on an earlier draft of this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John P. O'regan

John O'Regan is a Senior Lecturer in the Westminster Institute of Education at Oxford Brookes University, where he is responsible for the BA in English Language and Linguistics and teaches courses in communication, discourse analysis, and critical discourse analysis on various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. His research interests include institutional discourse, globalisation discourse and the new capitalism, and forensic linguistics. John is currently Deputy-Chair of the International Association of Languages and Intercultural Communication (IALIC).