Analyzing Power and Ideology: Computer-Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis of Political, Media, and Counter-Discourses
This seminar introduces students to discourse analysis (DA) and critical discourse analysis (CDA) as powerful frameworks for understanding how language constructs, reflects, and challenges social realities. The seminar focuses on political, media, and counter-discourses, examining how language is used to persuade, legitimize, resist, or subvert dominant narratives.
Through hands-on activities, students will engage with a range of analytical techniques, combining qualitative discourse analysis with computer-assisted discourse analysis (CADA). The latter allows for the systematic exploration of large corpora, offering robust, data-driven insights into discourse and revealing linguistic patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed.
A central focus of the seminar is the analysis of real-world discourses. Students will examine political speeches (e.g., from national leaders, activists, or historical figures) to identify linguistic and rhetorical strategies. They will also analyze media discourses (e.g., news articles, headlines, opinion pieces, and online journalism) to uncover framing, bias, and ideological positioning. Additionally, the seminar will explore counter-discourses (e.g., anti-vaccine movements, climate activism, social justice campaigns) to understand how marginalized or oppositional groups use language to resist dominant narratives.
The seminar delves into linguistic and rhetorical analysis, with a focus on evaluative language, legitimation strategies and persuasion. Students will examine how language constructs persuasive narratives, reinforces power dynamics, and embeds ideological stances within discourse.
While rooted in linguistics, the skills acquired in this seminar are highly transferable, enabling students to apply discourse analysis in media studies, political science, sociology, and beyond.
- Enseignant: Damien Lenoir