Critique: An interdisciplinary day conference

[J.E.Richardson]

Critique: An interdisciplinary day conference

26th June 2009
Dept of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

Critique and being critical are key notions across the 
social sciences and humanities, but they are rarely 
subject to discussion and examination. What do we mean by 
‘critique’? What does it mean to be ‘critical’? Despite 
being central to the whole approach to language and 
semiosis advanced by CDA scholars, until recently, this 
key concept has received surprisingly little (critical) 
attention and explication. This comparative silence has 
prompted a variety of scholars – both sympathetic and 
antagonistic to CDA as an analytic approach – to fill this 
gap with a variety of interpretive possibilities.

These and other issues will be addressed at the Critique 
day conference – the latest in a biannual series of events 
organised by an informal international grouping of 
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) scholars.

CDA is a heterogeneous and multidisciplinary approach to 
the examination of the role of language and semiosis in 
social life, and the speakers have been chosen with this 
heterogeneity in mind. The day conference will host four 
speakers from cognate academic disciplines: sociology, 
social psychology, linguistics and media studies. Each 
speaker will summarise their approach to critical analysis 
and provide an account of the enduring importance of 
‘being critical’ in social research. The advantage of 
limiting the day to four keynote speakers in this way 
means that we maximise time for questions, discussion (and 
critique!), and identify useful parallels and potential 
areas of cross-fertilisation from the complementary 
disciplinary approaches.  

Our confirmed speakers:

Professor Michael Billig, Professor of Social Sciences, 
Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University:
‘The language of critique’

Professor Paul Chilton, Department of Linguistics and 
English Language, Lancaster University:
'Critical perspectives’

Professor Lilie Chouliaraki, Professor of Media and 
Communications, Department of Media, London School of 
Economics:
'Critique as Phronesis: Ethics and the Critical Analysis 
of Discourse'

Professor Andrew Sayer, Department of Sociology, Lancaster 
University:  
‘What is critical about critical social science?’

Registration costs:
£20.00 Academic and academic related staff
£10.00 Students and researchers

Places are limited, so early registration is recommended.
Please email john_e_richardson at hotmail.com for a 
registration form.