Sociological Discourse Analysis Research Articles

Sociological Discourse Analysis: Methods and Logic

Sociological discourse analysis shares many of the procedures of other social sciences. Yet sociologists differ greatly in terms of how they approach discourse analysis, thus leading to confusion and doubts regarding the scientific status of sociological discourse analysis. In this article I attempt to clarify the methodological basis of sociological discourse analysis by differentiating it from other discourse analysis practices. To do so, I examine what sociologists actually do when they analyze discourse, while focusing on the common elements and principles shared by the different approaches to sociological discourse analysis. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0902263

Médicos de familia y psiquiatras ante el paciente con depresión: la necesidad de readecuar enfoques asistenciales y dinámicas organizativas

Objectives To find out the perceptions of family doctors (FD) and psychiatrists (PS) on their inter-relationships in the health care of patients with depression. Design Qualitative methodology. Exploratory design based on FD and PS discussion groups (DG). Setting Primary health care centres (PHCC) and mental health centres (MHC) of the Basque Country Health Service in Vizcaya. Participants and context A total of 29 FD from 20 PHCC, and 13 PS from 11 MHC, distributed according to the socioeconomic level of the reference population. The meetings were arranged and held in the PC research unit. Methods An intentional sample to configure 4 DG of FD and 2 of PS, homogenous as regards socioeconomic level, and heterogeneous as regards the centres they came from, work experience and gender. The meetings were recorded and transcribed and a sociological discourse analysis was made. Triangulation between researchers and results comparison with the participants was carried out. Results The perceptions and attitudes of the FD and PS differed, in their connections with the patient, expectations and health care context. In both cases they perceived the unsuitability of the real patient as regards the prefixed perceptions of the professional. The increase of the problem and its management seemed to be conditioned by a social medium which was uncontrolled, and due to increasing deficiencies in the collaboration between health care levels. Conclusions Care of the patient with depression requires diagnostic and treatment approaches centred on the patient and shared by FD and PS.

REPRESENTATIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH CRIME IN EL SALVADOR'S WRITTEN PRESS

This paper attempts to uncover the interpretive models underlying the construction of social representations about the identity of young people associated with crime by El Salvador's written press. To achieve this goal, I explore the ways in which these young people are categorized and characterized and the metaphors used to represent them and their actions as well as the consequences of the latter. My research has been carried out from the interdisciplinary perspective I call ‘sociological and linguistic discourse analysis’ (SLDA). This examines the resources and strategies used in oral and written texts to impose, maintain, justify, or propose certain interpretive models seeking to make sense of social reality.

Gaining insight into the Clinical Practice Guideline development processes: qualitative study in a workshop to implement the GRADE proposal in Spain

BackgroundThe GRADE method represents a new approach to grading the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations in the preparation of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG). In the context of a pilot study to assess the implementability of the system in Spain, we considered it relevant to gain an insight into the significance of the perceptions and attitudes expressed by the actual experts participating in the system try-out.MethodsQualitative research with an ethnographic approach, through non-participant observation and focus groups within the context of a consensus workshop in which 19 CPG experts participated to evaluate the GRADE proposal using 12 evidence tables taken from hypertension, asthma and arthritis CPGs. The interventions were recorded, under a guarantee of confidentiality. The transcriptions and field notes were analyzed, based on a sociological discourse analysis model, and the provisional findings were re-sent to participants in order to improve their validity.Results1) Certain problems over procedure and terminology hindered the acceptance of this new method as a common reference system for the preparation of CPGs. 2). A greater closeness to clinical practice was accompanied by concerns over value judgments and subjectivity, with a demand for greater explicitness in the consensus process. 3). The type of "evidence" on which the guidelines are based, how and by whom the evidence is prepared, and what the role of the different actors should be, all constitute unresolved concerns in the CPG preparation and implementation processes. 4). The grading process is not neutral: professional background, prior experience and the degree of leadership all condition the participants' input and interactions.ConclusionThe findings obtained allow the quantitative evaluation to be better interpreted and, in turn, go beyond the particularities of the GRADE method. Adaptation to the complexities of clinical practice, the need for carefully designed multi-disciplinary work and the reflexivity present in the CPG preparation process, all represent lines of debate that are necessary to improve the CPG quality in the Spanish health care sector.

Diskurso sąvoka sociologiniame-istoriniame akademinės disciplinos tyrime (metodologinės pastabos)

Straipsnyje apžvelgiamos diskurso sąvokos taikymo galimybės sociologiniuose-istoriniuose mokslinių disciplinų tyrimuose. Aptariamos pagrindinės sociologinės mokslinio žinojimo tyrinėjimo tradicijos, kurios diskurso sąvokai suteikia sociologinio reiškinio sampratą. Trumpai pristatoma sociologinė diskurso samprata, sutelkianti tyrinėtojo dėmesį ne tik į vidinius teksto struktūrinių komponentų ryšius, bet ir į akademinės disciplinos tekstų klasės susiformavimo socialinių sąlygų tyrimą. Glaustai aptariamos sociologinės diskurso sampratos implikuojamos tyrimo kryptys akademinio diskurso raidos analizės kontekste.

Polski spór o in vitro

The Polish dispute over in vitro. The character of public debate The aim of the article is to present the polish discourse on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and law regulation related to this issue. This article investigates the discursive strategies presented in the political discourse as well as in the part of public discourse, where the positions of proponents and opponents of the IVF are articulated. The publication presents the arguments of the Catholic clergy as well as activists and journalists associated with the Church (mainly presented in the press and on the Internet). In addition, the article shows the views of those who are strongly engaged in the promotion of the in vitro fertilization in Poland (their arguments are mostly presented in the press, media as well as on the Internet websites that were established especially for this reason). The article analyses the question of the identity of those who are IVF children and who recently are also taking part in the public debate related to this issue. The method, that has been chosen for the investigation, is the sociological discourse analysis, which enables to understand the social world (and political as well) from within while focusing on sense and reference of communication acts. Consequently, it can be applied to studying N. Luhmann’s system theory that assumes the investigation of the social system from within its own functioning.