Institutional Discourse Research Articles

Туристический дискурс и его подвиды

The article analyzes the institutional and communicative-pragmatic parameters of tourist discourse. Subtypes of tourist discourse are singled out, which make it possible to determine the belonging of texts of tourism sphere to a certain group. The aim of the work is to define and characterize the tourist discourse, to identify its subspecies. The objectives of the study are related to the characterization of institutional parameters of the subspecies of tourist discourse and the description of communicative-pragmatic features and linguistic features of texts belonging to different subspecies of tourist discourse. Research methods used in the work: general scientific, sociolinguistic and linguistic methods. The material of the study was 300 texts/discourses of tourist themes, divided into subspecies. The results of the study allow us to distinguish tourist discourse as a complex type of institutional discourse, including several subspecies, to clarify the definition of “tourist discourse” and to describe its subspecies by communicative and pragmatic characteristics.

Научно-академический дискурс в образовательном пространстве неязыкового вуза

The article deals with the phenomenon of scientific academic discourse. A nomenclature of discourse typological characteristics is analysed. The concept of scientific academic discourse is defined as a specialized type of institutional discourse. In our research we consider the scientific academic discourse as an integrative concept combining the features of scientific and academic types of discourse due to the interpenetration and intersection of their components. Cognitive and communicative aspects of scientific discourse are examined specific attributes of scientific texts such as harmony, consistency, objectivity and others are determined. The article focuses on the analysis of scientific discourse genre varieties. The authors describe the specifics of functioning of a research paper and a scientific report as main genres of scientific academic discourse, reveal their peculiarities in realizing English language oral and written discourse. From the theoretical and practical points of view both a research aper and a scientific report represent oral/ written communication aimed at scientific informing. The scientific polylexemic templates suggested in the article prove to be useful in academic writing.

Defining Unique Features of Discourse in Club of Funny and Inventive: A Study of Humor in KVN Performances

This article focuses on identifying the distinctive characteristics of discourse within the "Club of the Funny and Inventive" (Russ. KVN). The primary material for this study consists of team performances from the KVN television show. Attention is given to the challenge of defining the concept of discourse, along with a review of major approaches to its interpretation. It is demonstrated that humorous performances in KVN can be analyzed within the existing scientific paradigm as a communicative figure comprising three components: "reality – text – discourse," as well as being viewed as a specific communicative event. The authors examine the ontological characteristics of humor, highlighting its basis in contradiction and its sociocultural nature. Functions such as communication, socialization, identification, and differentiation facilitated by humor are described. The relevance of this research is underscored by the significance of KVN as a cultural phenomenon in shaping and developing humorous discourse as a whole. The article posits that KVN can be regarded as a distinct variety of humorous discourse due to its thematic and stylistic coherence. It is suggested that the specific characteristics and conditions governing KVN lead to the emergence of traits similar to those found in institutional discourse. The novelty of this study lies in articulating the antinomic characteristics of KVN discourse, concluding that their existence is intrinsically linked to the foundational contrast inherent in humor itself.

‘Resilient survivors’: narratives of violence against women of refugee background

ABSTRACT Scholarship on migrant deservingness explores how host society institutions require specific types of performances, particularly of vulnerability/ powerlessness and resilience/ self-sufficiency, sometimes in temporal succession. Such performances are also required of victim-survivors of violence against women, a category that overlaps considerably with refugees. This study brings together feminist literature related to violence against women with migrant deservingness literature, to observe how cultural factors interact with host society institutions. The article draws on an empirical study about narratives of violence in the lives of women of refugee background in Ireland, centring five in-depth interviews with self-identified victim-survivors, alongside six focus group discussions with women of refugee background. Using narrative analysis, I explore individual and collective identities in response to violence. Narrative identities of resilience are strongly present, while vulnerability is not. I conclude that, in line with scholarship on migrant deservingness, neoliberal institutional discourses of ‘resilient survivors’ support individual women to express agentic, albeit individualising and responsibilitising narratives, and I add that this simultaneously upholds patriarchal cultures of silence and inaction about violence. I offer conceptual thinking on ‘space for action’ as an alternative approach for scholars and practitioners to construct and consider the victim-survivor of violence against refugee women.

Indexical deprivation: The dominant link between cochlear implants and global English among Taiwanese deaf individuals

AbstractThis paper develops the concept of “indexical deprivation” from the experiences of English learning in relation to cochlear implant use among Taiwanese deaf adults. Based on the framework of language ideological assemblage, this paper traces how institutional discourses and practices at different levels contribute to the indexicalization between cochlear implants and elevated proficiency in English as a global language. By examining the top‐down discourses and bottom‐up narratives of two Taiwanese deaf women, the study demonstrates how enhanced English proficiency has been linked to cochlear implants and how individuals are deprived of the capacity to recognize alternative links. This paper highlights how global English has promoted the status of cochlear implants in a sociolinguistic context where English is spoken as a foreign language and increasingly gains prominence at multiple societal levels.

Person as an object of nomination in the institutional discourse of photographers: semantic and pragmatic aspects

Person as an object of nomination in the institutional discourse of photographers: semantic and pragmatic aspects

AI Privacy in Context: A Comparative Study of Public and Institutional Discourse on Conversational AI Privacy in the US and Chinese Social Media

The proliferation of conversational artificial intelligence (AI) systems, such as chatbots, has sparked widespread privacy concerns. Previous research suggests that privacy perceptions and practices vary across sociocultural contexts. This study examines public and institutional discourses on conversational AI privacy in the United States and China. Semantic network and discourse analyses of privacy-related discussions on Twitter and Weibo reveal divergent patterns. On Twitter, public discourse emphasizes privacy risks and concerns and advocates for systemic changes, while institutional discourse promotes individualistic approaches to privacy protection. Conversely, on Weibo, public discourse is less focused on privacy risks and more on the positive impacts of AI, aligning closely with institutional narratives. These variations are intertwined with the cultural, political, economic, and regulatory contexts of the two countries. Our study underscores the importance of multi-level analysis in comparative privacy research to provide a holistic view of privacy in various contexts.

Unravelling the discursive dynamics of counternarratives in the Dutch energy transition

Decarbonization of the energy system to combat climate change poses a significant challenge for the Netherlands, often attributed to carbon lock-in: a persistent dependence on fossil fuels shaped by historical forces. Carbon lock-in also occurs at the discursive level, which is why research on sustainability transitions increasingly explores discourses as a crucial element for change. Our research contributes to this knowledge by exploring how counternarratives shape the discursive dynamics surrounding the fossil fuel industry's role in the Dutch energy system. Using an interpretive approach, we examine how the role of Shell, as the ‘epitome’ of the Dutch fossil fuel industry, is framed by both Shell itself and three discursive agents opposing fossil fuel-based pathways. To this end, we reconstruct the counternarratives by Friends of the Earth NL, Follow This, Code Rood and Shell around how they envision the role of Shell in the Dutch energy system, with the goal to identify how discursive agents position their narratives vis-à-vis each other and if coalitions are formed. Our findings reveal that discursive agents deploy a variety of strategic practices to increase the successful reproduction of their narratives: first, Code Rood strategically adopts a radical narrative that stimulates imagination, polarizing the discursive struggle surrounding Shell's role in the energy system. Second, Follow This strategically adopts a marginal narrative, designed to persuade incumbents of alternative interpretations, especially to rethink the profitability of fossil fuels. Third, Friends of the Earth NL and Follow This enhance their discursive agency through coalition building. Since unlocking institutionalized discourses becomes more important, further research should shed light on discursive dynamics within the institutionalized discourse. By offering insights into the pivotal role(s) of counternarratives in instigating discursive change, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge crucial for accelerating the shift toward a decarbonized energy system.

Лингвосемиотический метод исследования в политической коммуникативистике

<p>This article is devoted to the linguistic approach in a new interdisciplinary field of knowledge called “political communicativism”. Among linguistic methods, the author singles out linguosemiotic method, aimed at decoding speech-behavioural codes in the context of communicative strategies. The importance of emotive codes in the process of information broadcasting in institutional discourse is noted. The paper provides examples of the use of communicative strategies in modern institutional communication of the national variant taking into account the suggestive and pragmatic potential on the basis of domestic and foreign studies.</p>

Representation of Confrontational Agonal Statements in Political Institutional Discourse (Based on the Trilogy "House of Cards" by Michael Dobbs)

Representation of Confrontational Agonal Statements in Political Institutional Discourse (Based on the Trilogy "House of Cards" by Michael Dobbs)

Translator’s Visibility in Mediating Confrontational Responses of “Challenge” Strategy at China’s Diplomatic Press Conferences

The study aims to unveil how translators deal with confrontational responses through their visibility in translating the diplomatic discourse of China’s diplomatic press conferences. Distinct from past theoretical frameworks, this study is grounded in the impoliteness strategies model (Bousfield, 2008) and the concept of translator’s visibility. The corpus focuses on the English-translated responses using the “challenge” strategy, delivered by the spokesperson Hua Chunying throughout 2020. Findings show that the translator’s visibility is mainly presented at the syntactical and lexical levels, and the discursive level is hardly found. The translation strategy of modulation is used most in syntax and reduction most in lexicon. Additionally, the translator’s visibility by using translation strategies can mediate the degree of confrontation. In maintaining the confrontational tone, the main strategies involve modulation in syntax and reduction in lexicon. Linguistic compression and reduction are employed more commonly in weakening the confrontational implication in lexicon, and reduction in syntax. Linguistic amplification is observed more frequently in the lexicon and modulation is more often used in syntax in strengthening the confrontation. This research sheds light on the dynamic interplay between impoliteness strategies and the translator’s visibility, contributing to a deeper understanding of the translator’s engagement in institutional discourse.

Patriotic education in China and students’ affective responses

Patriotic education plays a crucial role in the national policies of many countries, focusing on students as the primary beneficiaries and educational institutions as the main platforms for its implementation. Despite its importance, there is limited research on how students engage with patriotic initiatives. This study explores how patriotic discourse is embedded in institutions and becomes entangled with institutional power and affective forces. It draws on data generated through an ethnography that explores the lived experiences of 21 young Chinese women attending university. Employing Foucauldian notions of discourse, power/knowledge, and subjectivity alongside gender and affect theories, this study investigates patriotic discourse within educational sites and students’ affective responses towards it. This study elucidates the ‘everydayness’ and ubiquitous nature of patriotic discourse in educational institutions. Additionally, it indicates that while students may exhibit positive affective responses, unexpected emotions can arise, shedding light on how students negotiate with patriotic pedagogical discourse.

Indigenous Early Career Researcher’s Perspectives of ‘safe spaces’’ in Higher Education

The Developing Indigenous Early Career Researchers Project is a three-year longitudinal study funded by the Australian Research Council that ran from January 2020 to December 2022. Its main focus was to investigate the experiences and perspectives of Indigenous Early Career Researchers working in universities across Australia. This article presents four main attributes identified by Indigenous Early Career Researchers as necessary to creating culturally safe spaces in Australian universities. These attributes include, safe to: (a) be Indigenous; (b) seek advice and make mistakes; (c) speak openly; and (d) trust. The successful implementation of these attributes requires institutional support and commitment in the form of relevant higher education policies and practices. Importantly, an overarching perspective of this article is that effective implementation of culturally safe spaces for Indigenous Early Career Researchers requires a significant shift in institutional discourse from the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and Knowledges to recognising Indigenous Peoples as sovereign.

Navigating the Uncertainties of Post‐disruption Dynamics in Discourse: A Case Study of the EU–UK Security Relationship After Brexit

AbstractThe article presents a model that conceptualizes the discursive construction of post‐disruption dynamics endorsed and reproduced by the affected parties and its potential to (not) contribute to future co‐operation. Conceiving of Brexit as a prime case of a broader phenomenon of post‐disruption contexts, this paper applies this model to the empirical case of the post‐Brexit European Union (EU)–United Kingdom (UK) security co‐operation in order to reveal how considerations on Brexit‐related re‐engagement and de‐engagement in the context of the EU–UK security relationship were discursively articulated by the UK government and the European Commission in the 2016–2023 period. The findings show that despite the lack of tangible actions and a seemingly continuous string of missed opportunities, the institutional discourse production has largely fulfilled an enabling function vis‐à‐vis potential future co‐operation. At the same time, this article highlights the lingering effects of Brexit‐triggered discord.

Reasoning in Institutional Discourse – The Development of a Sustainable Impact Assessment Model

Reasoning in Institutional Discourse – The Development of a Sustainable Impact Assessment Model

You are Under Arrest: Language Use for Social Power Construction in Institutional Discourse

This article investigates the ways in which language is employed in the construction of social power in selected institutional discourses. Speech acts theory and Fairclough’s concept of language and power serve as the study’s theoretical anchor. Data were generated through (non)participant observations in a five-year fieldwork to examine the peculiarities in instantiating social power using specific terms in workplace interactions involving participants with unequal power derived from the social roles they perform within the scope of this study. During the period, institutional discourses that demonstrate the enactment of social power in medical, religious, political, legal, academic and security domains in Calabar Metropolis, South-south Nigeria, were closely observed and documented. The linguistic choices show institutional and power differentials in the rehearsal of social power among discourse participants where one wields more than the other(s). Social power, as demonstrated, is dynamic and excised using the domain’s registers and enacted towards the punishment, reward, confinement, reformation, freedom or general wellbeing of the recipient. The study enriches the understanding of how social power holders rely on inferred authority and certification from their professional affiliations and work conventions to construct and maintain social power.

The EU institutional discourse – production and consumption environments and principles

Discursul instituțional al UE reprezintă o categorie hibrid, fiind situat la granița dintre discursul specializat de tip administrative-juridic și de tip politic. Se ridică astfel problema dinamicii sale identitare și legitimării prin sedimentare, precum și a circumscrierii domeniului prin multiperspectivare. Astfel, articolul își propune să evidențieze unele dintre mecanismele de producere și consum al acestui tip emergent de discurs, prin trecerea de la contexte la contextualizare, la delimitarea zonelor de sensibilitate socio-culturală, prin adoptarea unei atitudini proactive. Sunt vizate două paliere majore de investigație: lingvistic și traductologic, cu interfețe interdisciplinare multiple.

Disability in EU’s institutional discourse

Abstract During the last decades, disability policy has undergone considerable changes at European level, evolving from a disregarded branch of social policy to an essential area centered on equal rights and non-discrimination. In this context, terminology and definitions have proved to be of pivotal importance since they can bear and impose more or less appropriate theoretical perspectives, depending on the prevailing ideologies within society in different historical periods (Priestley 2007). Drawing on the assumption that the way disability is linguistically and discursively construed at institutional level has a crucial effect on how it is experienced, the activities of supra-national institutions appear all the more central to how disability is structured in relation to social policy, change, and politics. Within the context of the EU, the European Commission seems particularly relevant since it plays a major role in policy development. In fact, although the Parliament can amend or veto legislative acts, only the Commission can propose new legislation. This study concentrates on disability-related legislation and strategies – which increasingly shape the lives of about 87 million disabled people estimated to live in Europe – by investigating how disability is framed in the EU’s institutional discourse. Linguistic (qualitative and quantitative) analysis of two of the most recent documents issued by the European Commission (namely the European Disability Strategy 2010–2020 and the European Disability Strategy 2021–2030) is meant to explore the main principles through which disability is theorised and construed in relation to the dominant ideological system of beliefs and values (Drake 1999; Grue 2020). Against the backdrop of previous research (Waldschmidt 2009) which took into account EU disability-related documents over a time-span ranging from 1958 to 2005, this paper seeks to shed light on the way discourses about disability are created and perpetuated, to be then translated into policy outcomes in the last decades and the years to come.

STAGES OF THE ANALYSIS OF RELIGIOUS VOCABULARY IN THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL DISCOURSE

The article is devoted to a review of the methodology for analyzing the functioning of religious vocabulary in the American presidential discourse. The work defines the political discourse, distinguishes the genres of the American presidential discourse, develops an algorithm for their research, and highlights the methods of analysis. One of the types of institutional discourse is political discourse, which is a reflection of the socio-political life of the country, contains elements of its culture, as well as features of the national character, general and national-specific cultural values, and aims to gain and maintain political power. The main functions of political discourse are informative, instrumental, prognostic, normative, legitimating, persuasive and political propaganda. The genre space of the presidential discourse is determined by the general political system of the state, the historical and political traditions of the institution of the presidency, and the sociocultural conditions for the existence of political discourse. These extralinguistic factors, as well as the nature of the main intention, allow us to distinguish such genres of US presidential discourse as ritualistic, orientational, and agonal. In the linguistic literature, there is a large number of classifications of political discourse strategies. In our work, we adhere to the classification according to which the following communicative strategies are inherent in political discourse: self-presentation, discrediting, manipulation, self-defense, information-interpretive, forming the emotional mood of the addressee, argumentative strategy, agitation. Each of these strategies is represented by a number of tactics. The search for effective ways of analyzing and describing the semantics and function of religious vocabulary in the American presidential discourse determined the choice of the main approaches to the research object. The methods used in linguistic studies involve the implementation of a system of procedures for studying the object of research and verification of the obtained results. Typical guidelines of systematic philological analysis include paying attention to the semantic, substantive side of the text, represented by text categories, and to the communicative immersion of the text in discursive reproduction. For a systemic complex analysis, the work involves such methods that take into account the communicative essence of the discourse text, reflect the significance of the text in the light of its generation and interpretation.

Religion on the island of Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic: piety in the public sphere?

ABSTRACT This article examines how religious institutions and religious media on the island of Ireland framed religion’s place in the public sphere during Covid-19. Through qualitative analysis of Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, and Humanist organisations’ public documents and religious media, it finds religious institutions supported government restrictions and adopted secular reasoning to justify their actions. The major churches also avoided claiming special status or religious freedom protections. This reveals a constrained religious input to public debates, reflecting a realistic assessment by religious leaders that they lack policy influence due to long-term declines in church power. The pandemic provides evidence of a reformulation of the relationships between religion, state, and society on the island, albeit with religion retaining more influence in Northern Ireland. Religious media outlets largely reproduced institutional discourses, with the exception of a weekly newspaper, the Irish Catholic. The Irish Catholic argued that stringent restrictions in the Republic of Ireland violated religious freedom, and made a case for the value of piety in the public sphere. But while religious actors still seek to contribute to public debates, there is little consensus or vision about religions’ distinctive contributions, even around existential questions posed by the pandemic.