Discourse and common sense

A dominant discourse is subject to a process of naturalization, in which it appears to lose its connection with

particular ideologies and interests and become the common-sense practice of the

institution (Fairclough 2001: 89)

Power is exercised and enacted in discourse

Types of constraints on participants in discourse

• Contents: what can be part of a discourse

• Relations: who can participate in a discourse as what (expert or client)

• Subjects: who can acquire a type of discourse

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• Language = Belief systems = social orders

• Ideology: A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system

• Ideological power: is the power to project one’s practices as universal, as natural and as common sense

What is common sense?

Common sense

• It refers to beliefs or propositions that in their opinion they consider would in most people's experience be prudent and of sound judgment, without dependence upon esoteric knowledge or study or research, but based upon what is believed to be knowledge held by people "in common".

• The knowledge and experience most people have, or are believed to have by the person using the term.

Ideologies are embedded in features of discourse that are taken for granted as matters

of common sense:

• things that we are not consciously aware of

• related to the way we make sense of our world

Understanding parts of the text

• What is your name?

• Tapaiko nam ke ho?

• Your name what is?

Texts need to reflect our cultural meanings

• Fitting in with previous experiences: coherence (assumptions that are part of MR) ideologies and/or worldviews

“The contribution of the multinational force is essential to help secure necessary conditions for voting and to support our security forces

in stabilizing the country” (Globe and Mail November 24, 04).

• What are the common assumptions in this piece?

• How do we find coherence in the story?

Cultural assumptions

• Western democracy as a universal model of government

• Number one threat in Iraq is“terrorism”

• War is the only way out

The reader brings these assumptions

• That the government represents the people

• That force is the only way to put an end to the problem

• That “democracy” is the best solution for the people of Iraq

How are words related to ideology?

A dominant discourse is subject to a process of naturalization, in

which it appears to lose its connection with particular

ideologies and interests and become the common-sense practice of the institution (Fairclough 2001: 89)

Ideology is most effective when its workings are less visible

Most effective forms of ideological common sense will be:

• Shared

• Generic

• Collective

• Example: Fair and balance

The naturalisation of a discourse type is a matter of degree.The

greater diversity of ideologies in a society the least effective

ideological common sense will be.

The greater diversity of ideologies in society the least

chance one ideology could take over as common sense.

What comes to be common sense is to a large measure determined

by who exercises power and domination in a society and an in

an institution.

Learning a dominant discourse type comes to be seen as merely

a question of learning skill or acquiring competence to operate

the institution

Meaning systems

• Meanings of words are not isolated they are related to other entities in society

• They are connected to ideologies

• Meaning systems depend on the articulation of ideologies

• Appear to be natural but are sustained by social power

Why is it important to look at common sense as socially and cultural constructed ideology?

Find an article that in your judgment: 1. reflects North American social or

cultural meanings. 2. reflects a national, cultural and

powerful dominant ideology (substantiate your findings with

examples discussed in class or in the

readings).