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<br>
Dear friends, <br>
Car@s amig@s,<br>
<br>
Why are we so silent when a war is going on?<br>
<br>
Is there nothing to say, to analyze, to theorize, to criticize?<br>
<br>
Are we too busy, too occupied with other protests in the streets, among millions
of others? <br>
<br>
Is there enough dissident discourse in the streets, in the media or on the
internet? Do we have nothing to add to that?<br>
<br>
Is any critique too obvious, too straightforward? <br>
<br>
Maybe, indeed, one need not be a critical linguist or discourse analyst to
understand, analyze and criticize what is going on, since the abuse of power
has seldom been so arrogant and blatant? <br>
<br>
Before the war we were bombarded with words from politicians who were eager
to bomb people with real bombs. Now, during the war, we are bombarded with
words that legitimate, prettify, deny or lie about the bombs and their "collateral
damage". That is, before, during and after the bombs, there are always even
more discourses that surround them. Do these discourses not deserve extensive
analysis? Do we really understand what is going on? Do we know how our minds
are managed by the discourses of war? Do we know all their structures and
strategies?<br>
<br>
The war and this conflict has been prepared was a long time. But where are
the papers for DISCOURSE & SOCIETY that critically analyze the discourses
that accompanied this build-up? <br>
<br>
There are vast domains of discourse that beg exploring; complex analytical
issues to be dealt with at the crossroads of many disciplines; fascinating
theorical roads to explore; some serious questions, if not some answers,
to formulate for those who have less insight in discourse and communication,
in persuasion and manipulation, than we are supposed to have. Do we have
not even some initial things to say about all that? <br>
<br>
Or is real war only about arms, and armies, and bombs and killing, engaged
in when words ("diplomacy") are declared useless by those whose arrogant
power is only based on arms and armies? If war is where words fail, does
discourse analysis become superfluous?<br>
<br>
Or is our only hope and future against arms and armies the counter-power
of talk and text, of negotation, of conflict resolution, of analysis and
fundamental understanding, of persuading world opinions, attitudes and ideologies
that finally will grow so strong that it will, forever, take the toys from
the boys? <br>
<br>
Will our dissident and analytical discourses be so strong that after this
war we will be able to say, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat: NEVER AGAIN
!! ?<br>
<br>
Will our discourses and their analysis be able to change the world such that
we finally will be able to leave the primitive stage of having and using
arms and armies instead of waging wars only with words? <br>
<br>
When will our discourses be able to retire all military and send all arms
to the museum? <br>
<br>
How much text and talk does it take to change the minds of world opinion
in such a way that arms, armies, and their violence, become dirty words?<br>
<br>
Why is "pacifism" still a dirty or a dubious word?<br>
<br>
Who is interested in post-modernism, when we apparently are still living
in the pre-modern times of the right of might?<br>
<br>
Is Critical Discourse Analysis -- or any critical academic study -- asleep?
Or do we simply have nothing interesting to offer?<br>
<br>
Do we remain silent even when hundreds --and soon thousands-- of human beings,
women, men, children, die gruesome deaths? <br>
<br>
Could our silence be interpreted as acceptance or acquiescence -- as suggested
by the Latin proverb <i>Qui tacet, consentit</i> ? <br>
<br>
Are there too many other lists against the war where we are publishing our
critical analyses? <br>
<br>
Does this list -- literally-- <i>make sense</i>?<br>
<br>
What more do I need to say to provoke serious contributions to this list,
articles for DISCOURSE & SOCIETY or ideas for books?<br>
<br>
Should I be "moderator" of a list when it is no time to be "moderate"? Shall
I become "activator", "provocator", "challenger"?<br>
<br>
What do you all have to <i>say</i>?<br>
<br>
Peace. Paz. Salaam. <br>
<br>
Teun<br>
<br>
___________________________<br>
<br>
Teun A. van Dijk<br>
Universitat Pompeu Fabra<br>
Departament de Traducció i Filologia<br>
La Rambla 32<br>
08002 Barcelona, Spain<br>
<br>
E-mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:teun@discourse-in-society.org">teun@discourse-in-society.org</a><br>
Internet: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.discourse-in-society.org">www.discourse-in-society.org</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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