Bakhtin's Theory Research Articles

Combat of Voices: Female Voices in Iris Murdoch’s Nuns and Soldiers

Iris Murdoch, a writer with a profound understanding of the importance of creating voices/selves, often explored human truths that are timeless in her novels. Bakhtin developed a frame of work in which he mainly aimed at describing a democratic language which was “dialogical” or “carnivalesque”. A world of interchange, of a dialogue between many voices is what Bakhtin hoped for. One of the great contributions of Bakhtin is the concept of polyphony (multivocality or multi-voicedness). He suggests that “the polyphonic novel as a whole is thoroughly dialogical” (Bakhtin, 1973, p. 40). To Bakhtin the language of a culture is full of intersecting language uses - those of class, profession, activity, generation, gender, region and a rich variety of interacting significances. Iris Murdoch’s novel Nuns and Soldiers has often been studied in relation to the ethical, moral and philosophical issues; however, it is also significant to explore how these issues are voiced for female characters. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the voices of female characters in Iris Murdoch’s Nuns and Soldiers on the basis of Bakhtinian theory of the novel.

O espaço público da escola - um mundo significado nas relações eu-outro

RESUMO Discutimos neste trabalho a cultura no espaço público da escola com base em ensaios de alunos de licenciatura em Letras-Português em que expressam suas representações sobre a relação eu-outro no ato da docência em estágio supervisionado. Questionamos se esses alunos, no cotidiano do labor magisterial, nos momentos constituintes do agir ético em diálogo com a estética da profissão, vivem a realidade viva do ato da docência de sujeitos, pelo primado da individualidade e da alteridade no plano do reencontro, no mundo real, do ato particular da experiência vivida (mundo da vida) com o mundo social da profissão (mundo da cultura). Os fundamentos da teoria dialógica de Bakhtin e seu Círculo respaldam a discussão proposta.

Contra-argumentação e discurso: uma abordagem transdisciplinar

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar um modelo transdisciplinar de estudo da contra-argumentação em oposição às abordagens formalistas que caracterizam os estudos científicos desse objeto no contexto das teorias linguísticas. A proposta parte do pressuposto de que a abordagem transdisciplinar se faz necessária sempre que se busca superar a fragmentação disciplinar dos conhecimentos, tendo em vista objetivos práticos para os quais tais conhecimentos são necessários, mas insuficientes. Em função disso, articula elementos da retórica clássica, da nova retórica das teorias de Bakhtin acerca dos gêneros do discurso e do texto e da linguística textual para elaborar um dispositivo de análise da contra-argumentação como um processo complexo inerente a diversas práticas sociodiscursivas. Com base nesse dispositivo, analisou-se um artigo de opinião. Conclui-se que, dada a complexidade da contra-argumentação, a abordagem transdisciplinar permite uma compreensão holística de seu funcionamento sociodiscursivo.

Práticas de escrita em Ciências Biológicas: letramentos acadêmicos (re)contextualizados

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar interações de estudantes em práticas escritas de letramentos acadêmicos, a fim de caracterizar como ocorrem (trans)formações de identidades docentes. A abordagem metodológica é qualitativa, com análise da fala de dois sujeitos participantes do PIBID, de um Curso de Licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas. A análise é realizada pelas marcas discursivas na voz dos sujeitos – em diários, entrevistas e seminários avaliativos – como indicativas do papel dos estudantes diante de novas práticas de letramento. A base teórica ancora-se nos Novos Estudos do Letramento (STREET, 1995), com abordagem nos letramentos acadêmicos (LEA; STREET, 1998, 2006; LILLIS, 1999, 2001, 2003; FIAD, 2011; FISCHER, 2007, 2010, 2015), considerando-se questões de valor, identidade e poder do grupo social. Além disso, abordam-se os estudos voltados à formação de identidades (BAUMAN, 2005; HALL, 2011, 2012) e sobre a teoria bakhtiniana (BAKHTIN, 2011). As análises evidenciam os modos de interação em práticas de letramento do Pibid, buscando-se estabelecer relações com produções escritas realizadas pelos sujeitos. Os resultados mostram que a interação na sala de aula da Educação Básica possibilita a constituição da identidade profissional na (trans)formação do ser aluno para o ser professor.

Operational sequencing: coping with contingency in process drama

ABSTRACTIn 1979, Gavin Bolton posed a question that is still fundamental to the development of process drama: ‘Is it possible to steer a course that does not come down in support of any particular point of view but causes children to examine and re-examine their own views and values?’ Inspired by Bakhtinian theory, Brian Edmiston developed a solution to this in the 1990s: the principle of ‘dialogic sequencing’. Aiming to escape the conflict between relativism and absolutism, we present an alternative to Edmiston’s approach, based on Niklas Luhmann’s theory of ‘operational closure’: operational sequencing. The principle is presented in the context of the previous debate between Edmiston and Joe Winston, and its application is demonstrated and assessed in our prototype process drama, Fertility Miracles.

Dialogism and Song: Intertextuality, Heteroglossia and Collaboration in Augusta Holmès’s Setting of Catulle Mendès’s “Chanson”

This article proposes a new methodology for analysing song, underpinned by Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism. It builds upon the recent current of scholarship which challenges Bakhtin’s hierarchical view of the novel as the dialogic literary mode par excellence and presents the theories of dialogism and heteroglossia as apt for the analysis of lyric poetry. In the article, this Bakhtinian theoretical framework is applied to a little-known song setting of Catulle Mendes’s ‘Chanson’, composed by Augusta Holmes, and published in issue six of Mallarme’s 1874 fashion magazine La Derniere Mode. The objective of the article is twofold: on the one hand it seeks to situate this collaborative endeavour within a historically and culturally wide-ranging intertextual network and, on the other, it aims to demonstrate that using Bakhtinian theory can be of great value in word and music studies, enhancing our understanding of the processes by which songs are created, performed and received

A Dialogic Vaccine to Bridge Opposing Cultural Viewpoints Based on Bakhtin's Views on Dialogue and Estrangement.

Today, we face global conflicts between opposing ideologies that may be described in terms of cultural viewpoints and value judgments. It is difficult for individuals to determine whether ideologies are right or wrong because each ideology has its own worldview and sense of justice. Psychologists have an urgent mission to defuse the likelihood of fatal clashes between opposing cultural perspectives (ideologies), and to propose paradigms for peaceful coexistence. This paper examines the series of papers (Oh, Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 51, 2017; Sakakibara, Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 51, 2017; Watanabe, Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 51, 2017) contributed to this volume that investigate the effects of high school and university educational programs promoting productive dialogue aimed at bridging, or transcending, conflicting perspectives among Japanese, Chinese, and Korean students. Here, I have evaluated the capacity of these educational programs to coordinate opposing cultural ideologies using the framework of Bakhtin's theories of dialogue and estrangement. Bakhtin viewed discourse with others who had opposing viewpoints as an opportunity to learn to overcome the one-sidedness of ideology, which ensues from automatic value judgments made by each speaker according to their culture, and he affirmed the value of flexible attitudes toward opposing viewpoints. In this paper, I review Bakhtin's theories relating to communication in a context of different cultural viewpoints, assess the general values of the educational practices mentioned above, and propose new concepts for applying these methods to other educational fields in the future using Bakhtin's theoretical viewpoints.

Conflict of Culture and Religion: Jalal Al-e-Ahmad's “Pink Nail Polish” from a Bakhtin's Carnivalistic Point of View

By the 1930s, the Iranian society was driven toward modernization. Consisted with the concept of modernization, feminism ushered a whole new era in Iranian history. Besides, the outbreak of World War II and the consequent abdication of Reza Khan afforded women a golden opportunity to fight for their rights and emancipations. This movement was also supported by the famous male writers of the time among whom Jalal Al-e-Ahmad marked a prominent place. He was keen enough to properly explore women's situation in his works and notice the drastic effect of modernization upon women's situation. Hence, in this study, we try to investigate Al-e-Ahmad's short story entitled “Pink Nail Polish” 1948 with respect to Bakhtin's Carnivalesque's theory. Furthermore, it is shown how Bakhtin's new literary mode can create the excellent chance of studying Iranian women's situation properly. Finally, we explain that due to the drastic change of Iranian women's situation towards modernity, they may lead a double life if their rights are not respected. This can lead to a disproportionate relationship between the husband and the wife as the marital infidelity becomes rampant.

Constructing a Voice in English as a Foreign Language: Identity and Engagement

Situated in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context, this study navigates the intersection of language learner identity and foreign language engagement. Specifically, drawing on the concept of voice (Canagarajah, ; Johnstone, ; Kramsch, ), Bakhtin's () theory of language, and the notion of investment (Darvin & Norton, ; Norton Peirce, ), it presents two case studies of voice construction by EFL learners in Iran. Through classroom observations, biographical and sociolinguistic interviews, and learner metalinguistic commentary, the study reveals how the two participants invest in two different voices that index their efforts toward the construction of a second language–mediated identity. The two learners are shown to gravitate toward informal and formal English words and use them in their speech in ways that are illustrative of how they envision their engagement with English both in the present and in the future. The pedagogical implications of the study are then discussed.

On dialogic speech: Convergences and Divergences between Jakubinskij, Bakhtin and Voloshinov

This article aims to discuss Lev Jakubinsky’s ideas presented in his 1923 essay On Dialogic Speech (Brazilian translation 2015), and its convergences and divergences with the thought of Bakhtin and Voloshinov. Studies on dialogue do not come from a unique theoretical source, but they appear connected to questions of linguistic and cultural practices in Russia (ROMASHKO, 2000: 84). An important part of this research was dedicated to dialectology, that is, to the dialectic speech, conceived then as dialogic speech. However, according to Voloshinov (1992: 147), in 1929 there was only one study devoted to the dialogue in Russian linguistics, the essay On Dialogic Speech. Some researchers on Jakubinsky contend that this essay was a reference to Voloshinov and Bakhtin, or that it was the direct inspiration source to the former and, through it, to Bakhtinian theory. The investigation of linguistic ideas at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century allows us to conclude that Voloshinov and Bakhtin adopted themes, problems and notions from the burgeoning philosophy and social sciences, nevertheless transforming what was given into something new.

Bakhtin and native language teaching in Brazil: some perspectives

The purpose of this article is to examine the infl uence of Bakhtinian theory, in particular the concept of speech genre, in offi cial documents of the Ministry of Education inBrazilintended for teachers in the public and private networks. In order to understand this very important impact of Bakhtin and the Circle, several aspects of how the works that were the hallmark of government guidance were received will be revisited. The outcome will be supplemented by analyzing a chapter of a textbook in the native language for high school students that deals with the concept of genre in teaching the production of argumentative texts.

From pre-service to early-career English teacher in the UK: negotiating powerful myths

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate contemporary pre-service English teacher education in the UK and the transition, for one individual, from pre-service into early-career English teacher. The investigation explores how standards-based education reforms are narrowing the scope of professional practice in UK schools, especially in regard to the creativity of teachers and students. Design/methodology/approach The authors use critical autobiography (Haug, 1992; Miller, 1995; Rosen, 1998) and dialogic storytelling strategies (Doecke and Parr, 2009; Parr et al., 2015), that are grounded in Bakhtinian (1981) theories of language, education and creativity. Findings The essay critically illustrates how standards-based reforms are narrowing the professional practice of English teachers in secondary classrooms in England and compares this with one account of pre-service teacher education in which prospective teachers are taught to appreciate the situated nature of teaching and learning and the power of creative practices to engage students in their learning and development. Originality/value The critical and creative use of dialogic storytelling strategies allows the authors to present rigorously contextualised accounts of English teacher education and English teaching in England. The reflexive accounts complement the increasing numbers of studies that are showing the injurious effects of standards-based education reforms on English teaching and learning in schools.

The Function of Laughter in Shahnameh in the Light of Bakhtin’s Theory

This study examines the narrative approach of Shahnameh by Ferdowsi based on Bakhtin’s dialogism. The logic of dialogue, a narrative that describes the relationship between different views through dialogue and interaction and considers dialogue as the only way of communication. Dialogism is supplemented by concepts such as "polyphony", "the other voice" and "Carnival". One of the necessary constituents of carnivalistic life is laughter. In Shahnameh there are three kinds of laughter, one of which is considered closer to Bakhtin’s laughter; it is a laughter that causes ridicule and humiliation. Other types of laughter are those of joy and an analogy of nature. In this article the carnivalistic laughter and laughter in Shahnameh are compared with each other to find out the correspondence between dialogism and Shahnameh. In this study, we attempt to study the word "laughter" and its derivatives in Shahnameh using descriptive-analytic method and evaluate it on the basis of Bakhtin's theory of dialogism, and also find out its similarities and differences with Bakhtin's carnivalistic laughter.

Learning subversion in the business school: An ‘improbable’ encounter

Entrepreneurs develop activities that aim to challenge the status quo, break rules and subvert systems. How can such a thing be taught/learnt in a business school? This article contributes to current debates within entrepreneurship studies that seek to address the subversive nature of entrepreneurial activity. It presents an ethnographic case study of an entrepreneurship course that attempts to re-define the teaching and learning boundaries of subversive activities in a leading European business school. Drawing on the theory of Bakhtin, which has thus far been overlooked in entrepreneurship studies, we unpick the potentiality of art practices in the learning and experiencing of the subversive dimension of entrepreneurship. We employ the concept of ‘dialogical pedagogy’ in order to address calls for more ‘relationally experienced’ approaches to management learning that foreground the conflicts, emotional strains and uncertainties that are embedded in the fabric of entrepreneurial practice. We show how ‘subversive dialogues’ are enacted between students and teachers as they engage in the learning process, and we discuss implications for critical entrepreneurship teaching in an increasingly commoditized education environment.

Embracing tension: using Bakhtinian theory as a means for data analysis

In this article we introduce tension as a means for qualitative data analysis based on Mikhail Bakhtin’s dialogical theory. We first explain the foundations of Bakhtin’s theory and show the inevitability of tension in our lives and qualitative data analysis. We then offer a review of how Bakhtin’s notion of tension has manifested itself in qualitative research, which prompts us to establish a tensional approach to qualitative data analysis. Finally, we outline our framework for a tensional approach to data analysis and illustrate examples of putting this approach into practice in our own study. Our tensional approach (1) explores key moments of tension; (2) seeks out unease and discomfort; (3) involves researcher and research participants in ongoing dialogue; (4) and embraces multiple perspectives on a range of tensions during the data analysis process. It encourages uncertainties and questions instead of pursuing certainty of meaning and fixed conclusions.

Dialogue and reciprocity in an international teaching practicum

ABSTRACTMany teacher education institutions across the world are now initiating and supporting international teaching practicums to better prepare their teaching graduates to teach for diversity. Recently, some of these practicums have embedded service-learning structures and discourses to further encourage pre-service teachers (PSTs) to think beyond their self-interests towards larger ethical and educational questions. This paper employs narrative-based inquiry methods to explore the lived experiences of three co-leaders of an international teaching practicum in South Africa for Australian PSTs underpinned by dialogic service-learning principles. Using Bakhtinian dialogic theory, the authors generate alternative interpretations of reflective narratives they have written, in order to examine the concepts of dialogue and reciprocity in their lived experience of this teaching practicum. The authors conclude that reciprocity and dialogue are indeed valuable discourses for critically researching international teaching practicums with service-learning dimensions, but counsel against romanticising either of these.

Peer relationships and internally persuasive discourse

Abstract This study explored Bakhtin's theories of dialogism focusing on the concept of internally persuasive discourse in a group of five 4- to 5-year-old children, when they engage in conversations about the theory of the cello's sound production in a naturalistic preschool setting. The author conducted participant-observation in the conversations with the children, minimizing authority on the flow of conversations to allow internally persuasive discourse among them. The findings of qualitative analyses, based upon the grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), generated three themes: 1) recognizing new pals that have similar ideas as mine [the child's]; 2) dealing with conflicting ideas between best friends; 3) continuing peer interaction to understand and test different ideas. The current study has implications for an early childhood educator's endeavor to build a respectful and intellectually rigorous classroom environment for young children.

Writing for the (virtual) other: Bakhtinian intertextuality within online L2 writing exchanges

ABSTRACTIn this article, I explore practical implications of the theories of language of M.M. Bakhtin within university second language writing classrooms. Specifically, I examine the presence of Bakhtinian intertextuality within online intercultural exchanges involving the use of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) technology. I describe a CMC exchange between university students in Canada enrolled in Spanish classes and Chilean university students of English. The students communicated using a bilingual blog, Skype, Facebook and Dropbox to meet, share their writing and engage in peer review. The data analysed include the students’ writings in English and Spanish in the blog, drafts of student essays and student comments in final interviews. Drawing on Bakhtin's theories, I used a qualitative approach to analyse the data, identifying instances of intertextuality across the students’ writing. Based on my findings, I suggest that the online exchange offered positive conditions for the sharing of language, which led to contextualised learning of new lexical items and the creation of intertextually richer student writing in the L2.

Exploring the dialogic space in teaching: A study of teacher talk in the pre-university classroom in Singapore

Inspired by Bakhtin's theory of dialogism and framed within the paradigm of ‘dialogic teaching’, this article focuses on teacher talk and its potential for encouraging student discussion, dialogue and debate. Through a close analysis of lessons taught by 18 teachers in 7 schools, it examines the teachers' attempts to initiate and stimulate discussion among pre-university students in Singapore. The findings point to a pattern of teacher talk that stifles student participation and cognitive engagement, producing a predominantly monologic and transmissive classroom culture. The article closes with a discussion of the implications for teachers, teacher educators and educational policy makers.

Faulkner Upside Down: On The Wishing Tree – the Writer’s Only Children’s Story

The paper discusses selected aspects of The Wishing Tree, William Faulkner’s only published children’s story. It presents the circumstances of publication and the subsequent reception this literary work. Then it examines the key themes and the plot of The Wishing Tree in the light of the Bakhtinian theory of carnavalization as it applies to children’s literature. The Wishing Tree displays the quality of carnivalesque oddity; it is ridiculous, unserious, and facetious in comparison with Faulkner’s works for adults.