Book notice: Discourse and Power in a Multilingual World

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Forwarded from Linguist-List,

Discourse and Power in a Multilingual World Series Title: Discourse
Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture 15 2005, John Benjamins
http://www.benjamins.com/


Author: Adrian Blackledge, University of Birmingham

Abstract:

In Discourse and Power in a Multilingual World the discourse of
politicians and policy-makers in Britain links languages other than
English, and therefore speakers of these languages, with civil disorder
and threats to democracy, citizenship and nationhood. These powerful
arguments travel along 'chains of discourse' until they gain the
legitimacy of the state, and are inscribed in law. The particular focus of
this volume is on discourse linking 'race riots' in England in 2001 with
the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, which extended
legislation to test the English language proficiency of British
citizenship applicants.

Adrian Blackledge develops a theoretical and methodological framework
which draws on critical discourse analysis to reveal the linguistic
character of social and cultural processes and structures; on Bakhtin's
notion of the dialogic nature of discourse to demonstrate how voices
progressively gain authority; and on Bourdieu's model of symbolic
domination to illuminate the way in which linguistic-minority speakers may
be complicit in the misrecognition, or valorisation, of the dominant
language.


Table of contents

Preface vii
Acknowledgements ix
1. Language, ideology and power 1-29
2. Language ideologies in multilingual contexts 31-58
3. Discourse and discrimination in the social arena 59-92
4. Political discourse and the rhetoric of discrimination 93-119
5. Political discourse and the media 121-153
6. Representing the voice of the people 155-180
7. The legitimation of discriminatory discourse 181-205
8. Discourse, power and the multilingual world 207-231
Notes 233-237
References 239-248
Index 249-252

"This important and timely book strengthens our understanding of the
macro-linguistic contexts in which multilingualism is embedded. It is an
incisive analysis of 'new racism' and discrimination masquerading as
liberalism, and a passionate plea for new images of and new engagement
with 'Muslim' residents in a 'Western' nation."  Professor Ingrid Piller,
Basel University, Switzerland

"'Discourse and Power in a Multilingual World' is a timely contribution to
our understanding of how deeply-rooted ideologies of language, nation and
State give rise to current racialized discourses of inclusion and
exclusion under contemporary conditions of globalized transnational
movements."  Profesor Monica Heller, CREFO, OISE, Universit de Toronto,
Canada

"Adrian Blackledge has made a major contribution to our understanding of
the nexus between language and power in social and political life, and all
who are interested in this linkage will benefit from a close reading of
this book."  Professor Ronald Schmidt, Sr, California State University,
Long Beach, USA

"In this day and age where xenophobia is spreading like wildfire and
national and global policies originate from fear and threats of 'the
other', this book offers a unique and comprehensive analysis of the
process through which the discourse and language of politicians, the media
and others in authority serve as such powerful tools contributing and
perpetuating such ideologies of discrimination. This book should be on the
required reading list not only for students of applied linguistics and
discourse, but also for those in political science, sociology and public
policy whose research engages with the role of language within policy
making."

Professor Elana Shohamy, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Hardback: ISBN: 9027227055 Pages: x, 252 Price: Europe EURO 110.00
Hardback: ISBN: 9027227055 Pages: x, 252 Price: U.S. $ 132.00