Language, normativity and power
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Heiko Motschenbacher
Abstract
The present paper aims to shed light on how social actors orient to sexual normativity in their talk. It relates normativity to (Foucauldian) notions of discourse and power, arguing that local linguistic negotiations of sexuality are generally shaped by a competition between dominant and marginalized discourses. The empirical section focusses on how sexual normativity is linguistically constructed in conversations related to objectophilia, a form of sexual desire that is clearly non-normative. The data consists of telephone calls from the German radio phone-in show Domian. It is shown how speakers co-construct sexual normativity in general as well as more specific forms of it such as humano-normativity and heteronormativity. It can be seen that even the construction of non-normative desires is predominantly structured by normative sexuality discourses.
Abstract
The present paper aims to shed light on how social actors orient to sexual normativity in their talk. It relates normativity to (Foucauldian) notions of discourse and power, arguing that local linguistic negotiations of sexuality are generally shaped by a competition between dominant and marginalized discourses. The empirical section focusses on how sexual normativity is linguistically constructed in conversations related to objectophilia, a form of sexual desire that is clearly non-normative. The data consists of telephone calls from the German radio phone-in show Domian. It is shown how speakers co-construct sexual normativity in general as well as more specific forms of it such as humano-normativity and heteronormativity. It can be seen that even the construction of non-normative desires is predominantly structured by normative sexuality discourses.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- The expression of inequality in interaction. Power, dominance and status 1
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Part I. Focus on third persons
- Representing inequality in language 17
- Sexual network partners in Tanzania 49
- A “rape victim” by any other name 81
- Unveiling the phantom of the "Islamic takeover" 105
- Power eliciting elements at the semantic-pragmatic interface 143
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Part II. Focus on speaker/author
- Powerless language 165
- A true authoritarian type 193
- We and I , and you and them 213
- Language, normativity and power 239
- Subject index 265
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- The expression of inequality in interaction. Power, dominance and status 1
-
Part I. Focus on third persons
- Representing inequality in language 17
- Sexual network partners in Tanzania 49
- A “rape victim” by any other name 81
- Unveiling the phantom of the "Islamic takeover" 105
- Power eliciting elements at the semantic-pragmatic interface 143
-
Part II. Focus on speaker/author
- Powerless language 165
- A true authoritarian type 193
- We and I , and you and them 213
- Language, normativity and power 239
- Subject index 265
