Introduction

[Erik Knain]

I would like to introduce myself and my research interests, and ask for
some advice as well.

I have been working on discourse analysis of science textbooks for grade 5
and 8 (age 11 and 14) in Norway as part of a PhD-thesis in natural science.
This work is conducted within a project called "Science, Technology and
Citizenship" located at the University of Oslo. The project is funded by
the Norwegian Research Council. The analysis is done within the framework
of functional sociosemiotics of Halliday, and images are analysed by
methods developed by Kress and van Leeuwen. I also draw upon Fairclough.
The rationale behind the analysis is to expose a "hidden curriculum", as
both open and "hidden" (or common sense) meanings has a potential for
socialising students into certain relations towards science and technology.
This may lead to alienation or disinterestedness as a negative result (for
some groups of students), and create less than realistic images of science
and technology.

As this project will be coming to an end this summmer, I have been thinking
on obtaining funding for studying ideologies on science and technology in
new fields (new subcultures), and I am thinking on studying discourses in
magazines and newspapers. How is science portrayed, what participants are
taking part, and how are they represented? How are disputes on
socio-scientific issues portrayed and resolved? What relations are offered
between science and nature, science and everyday problems, science and
myth, magic or religion? What epostemologies are offered? Whose interests
is served by the discourses?

As I am entering an area where I am not very familiar with the research
literature (mass media), I would welcome advice on literature that address
the issues raised above.

Erik Knain



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Erik Knain
Research Fellow, Science Education
Department of Teacher Education and School Development
University of Oslo
P.O. Box 1099 Blindern
N-0316 Oslo, Norway
Phone: +47 22 85 20 61
Fax: +47 22 85 74 63
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