Knowledge, discourse and domination
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Teun A. van Dijk
Abstract
Within the framework of an interdisciplinary project on discourse and knowledge, this paper explores the more critical, sociopolitical aspects of the relationship between these two fundamental notions in the humanities and social sciences, relating them with another fundamental notion, namely that of power. More specifically, I focus on power abuse – or domination – as a major dimension of social inequality. After a summary of the main properties of knowledge as I define it – namely as justified, shared beliefs of an epistemic community – I first examine the fundamental role of knowledge in discourse production and comprehension, for instance in the construction of mental (situation) models that are the basis of discourse meaning as attributed by the participants. It is argued that in addition to the standard cognitive theory of discourse processing, we also need a pragmatic component defining contexts as mental context models subjectively representing the relevant parameters of the communicative situation, and defining the appropriateness of discourse. One of the fundamental appropriateness conditions is that speakers adapt their discourse to the (assumed) knowledge of the recipients. It is at this point that the paper focuses on the possible domination as power abuse when powerful persons or institutions manage knowledge or information to recipients in their own interests. The paper examines various levels and structures of discourse as possible means to manipulate knowledge in communication and interaction, finally illustrated with an analysis of the usage of knowledge by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in his well-known Iraq speech in the House of Commons on March 13, 2003.
Abstract
Within the framework of an interdisciplinary project on discourse and knowledge, this paper explores the more critical, sociopolitical aspects of the relationship between these two fundamental notions in the humanities and social sciences, relating them with another fundamental notion, namely that of power. More specifically, I focus on power abuse – or domination – as a major dimension of social inequality. After a summary of the main properties of knowledge as I define it – namely as justified, shared beliefs of an epistemic community – I first examine the fundamental role of knowledge in discourse production and comprehension, for instance in the construction of mental (situation) models that are the basis of discourse meaning as attributed by the participants. It is argued that in addition to the standard cognitive theory of discourse processing, we also need a pragmatic component defining contexts as mental context models subjectively representing the relevant parameters of the communicative situation, and defining the appropriateness of discourse. One of the fundamental appropriateness conditions is that speakers adapt their discourse to the (assumed) knowledge of the recipients. It is at this point that the paper focuses on the possible domination as power abuse when powerful persons or institutions manage knowledge or information to recipients in their own interests. The paper examines various levels and structures of discourse as possible means to manipulate knowledge in communication and interaction, finally illustrated with an analysis of the usage of knowledge by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in his well-known Iraq speech in the House of Commons on March 13, 2003.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- On how to pragmaticize understanding 1
- Does the autonomy of linguistics rest on the autonomy of syntax? 15
- Classifying illocutionary acts, or, a tale of Theory and Praxis 39
- Spatial indexicalities and spatial pragmatics 53
- Pragmatics as a facilitator for child syntax development 77
- Pragmatics, linguistic competence, and Conversation Analysis 101
- Pragmatics and dialogue phenomena 113
- Roots of the wakimae aspect of linguistic politeness 121
- “Laura! Laura! Wake up” 139
- Knowledge, discourse and domination 151
- The public face of language 197
- The compleat angle on pragmatics 213
- Tabula Gratulatoria 219
- Index 229
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- On how to pragmaticize understanding 1
- Does the autonomy of linguistics rest on the autonomy of syntax? 15
- Classifying illocutionary acts, or, a tale of Theory and Praxis 39
- Spatial indexicalities and spatial pragmatics 53
- Pragmatics as a facilitator for child syntax development 77
- Pragmatics, linguistic competence, and Conversation Analysis 101
- Pragmatics and dialogue phenomena 113
- Roots of the wakimae aspect of linguistic politeness 121
- “Laura! Laura! Wake up” 139
- Knowledge, discourse and domination 151
- The public face of language 197
- The compleat angle on pragmatics 213
- Tabula Gratulatoria 219
- Index 229
