Doing Discourse Analysis
An international workshop for young scholars
1 – 4 December 2008
Copenhagen, Denmark
In conjunction with Roskilde University and the Danish Political Science PhD program, EUROQUAL is
sponsoring a four day workshop for postgraduate students and early career researchers involved with
Discourse Analysis. It is being held in the Soerupgaard Manor House, just outside Copenhagen.
During the last decade there has been mounting interest in various kinds of discourse theory and discourse analysis within the social sciences. Poststructuralist discourse theory has produced a range of rather sophisticated concepts and arguments that help us to transcend the objectivistic, reductionist and rationalistic bias of modern social science theory and radicalize hermeneutic alternatives by emphasizing the role of discourse and politics in shaping social, political and cultural interpretations. Poststructuralist discourse theory has contributed to the critical renewal of several social science disciplines and has persuaded many mainstream theorists to pay more attention to new issues such as identity, knowledge paradigms and discursive forms of power. It is important that the increasing number of discourse theoretical studies is supported by sound methods and research strategies. In order to further develop the methodological aspects of discourse analysis this workshop will focus on doing discourse analysis. However, the purpose is not to develop or disseminate a general and comprehensive method of discourse analysis, which consists of methodological rules that guarantee scientific truth. But equally, we shall not dismiss methodological discussions as a positivist fallacy, thus contenting ourselves with an impressionistic or purely subjective descriptivism. Rather, we aim to spur contextual and problem-oriented reflections about the methodological choices that are involved in doing poststructuralist discourse analysis. As such, we believe that there is no right method, but a series of trade-offs that scholars and students of discourse analysis (and the social sciences more generally) must be able to recognise, negotiate and reason about.
Further information: jtor@ruc.dk
About the ESF Euroqual Programme
Aims to match a similar programme on quantitative methods
Led by Professor Paul Atkinson, Cardiff
Signed by 16 ESF countries
Aims to promote qualitative methods in the social sciences through exchange and training
There will be workshops on:
Digital methods
Analysis of visual data
The politics of qualitative research
Multi-methods
Spatial analysis
The quality of qualitative research
Studies of archives
Discourse analysis
Workshop on discourse analysis
A chance to strengthen relations between various discourse analysis research groups in Europe
Combines a high-level workshop with experts in the field with
training of doctoral students and early career researchers
Focuses on a broad range of methodological issues
Focuses on different methods for data collection and data analysis
Focuses on a variety of subjects: the discursive construction of European identity and identities in Europe, analysis of mass media discourse, the discursive framing of policy and governance, etc.
Combines different formats: lectures, round tables, master classes, group discussions, etc.
Logistics: a four day workshop on 1-4 of December in a wonderful location just outside Copenhagen. Arrival in the evening of the 30th of November and departure on the 4th of December in the evening
Food and accommodation during the workshop and up to 500 Euros of the travel costs (discount tickets if available) is covered by the European Science Foundation
Students must send a one page project description and present their project at the workshop
Aim of the workshop
During the last decade there has been mounting interest in various kinds of discourse theory and discourse analysis within the social sciences. Poststructuralist discourse theory has produced a range of rather sophisticated concepts and arguments that help us to transcend the objectivistic, reductionist and rationalistic bias of modern social science theory and radicalize hermeneutic alternatives by emphasizing the role of discourse and politics in shaping social, political and cultural interpretations. Poststructuralist discourse theory has contributed to the critical renewal of several social science disciplines and has persuaded many mainstream theorists to pay more attention to new issues such as identity, knowledge paradigms and discursive forms of power.
It is important that the increasing number of discourse theoretical studies is supported by sound methods and research strategies. In order to further develop the methodological aspects of discourse analysis this workshop will focus on doing discourse analysis. However, the purpose is not to develop or disseminate a general and comprehensive method of discourse analysis, which consists of methodological rules that guarantee scientific truth. But equally, we shall not dismiss methodological discussions as a positivist fallacy, thus contenting ourselves with an impressionistic or purely subjective descriptivism. Rather, we aim to spur contextual and problem-oriented reflections about the methodological choices that are involved in doing poststructuralist discourse analysis. As such, we believe that there is no right method, but a series of trade-offs that scholars and students of discourse analysis (and the social sciences more generally) must be able to recognise, negotiate and reason about.
Number of participants
There will room for maximum 25 PhD and/or Post Doc students.
Workshop program
The 1st of December, 2008:
9:30 – 10:30 Welcome and introductions
10:30 – 12:30 Poststructuralist discourse theory: ambitions, achievements and challenges
Lecture and plenary discussion
- Professor Jacob Torfing
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 17:00 Different discourse theoretical interpretations of the same material
Round table discussion, including coffee break
- Professor Maarten Hajer, University of Amsterdam
- Professor Ruth Wodak, Lancaster University
- Dr David Howarth, University of Essex
- Assistant Professor Johannes Angermüller, Magdeburg University
17:00 – 18:30 Project presentations in two groups organized as Master Classes
Three projects will be discussed in each group
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner
The 2nd of December, 2008:
9:30 – 12:00 Problem-driven research: the role of problematization
Lecture followed by exercise
- Dr David Howarth, University of Essex
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 15:45 Crafting your research strategy: What to look for?
Where to look?
How to draw conclusions from your analysis?
Short lectures and plenary discussion
- Professor Ruth Wodak, Lancaster University
- Assistant Professor Johannes Angermüller, Magdeburg University
- Professor Niels Åkerstrøm, Copenhagen Business School
15:45 – 16:15 Coffee break
16:15 – 18:30 European identity – identities in Europe
Lecture followed by group discussions
- Dr Thomas Diez, University of Birmingham
- Dr Aletta Norval, University of Essex
19:00 – 21:00 Dinner
The 3rd of December, 2008:
9:30 – 12:00 Discourse analysis using documents, interviews and other texts
Lectures followed by plenary discussion
- Professor Dominique Maingueneau, University of Paris-XII
- Professor John Forester, Cornell University
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 15:30 The use of digital methods in text analysis
Lecture followed by technical demonstration
- Professor André Salem, University of Paris-III
15:30 – 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 – 18:30 Project presentations in two groups organized as Master Classes
Four projects will be discussed in each group
19:30 – Workshop dinner
The 4th of December, 2008:
9:30 – 12:00 Analysing texts in contexts
Lecture followed by exercise
- Professor Maarten Hajer, University of Amsterdam
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch break
13:30 – 16:00 The discursive framing of policy and governance
Lectures and plenary discussion
- Dr David Howarth, University of Essex
- Professor Jacob Torfing, Roskilde University
- Professor Urs Stäheli, Basel University
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee break
16:30 – 18:30 Project presentations in two groups organized as Master Classes
Four projects will be discussed in each group
18:30 – 19:00 Self-organization of international PhD network on poststructuralist discourse theory
19:00 – 21:00 Dinner
Deadlines
Deadline of applications: 1st of July
Final selection: 1st of August
Package for workshop participants: 15th of September
Participants’ project descriptions (one page): 15th of October
This workshop aims to strengthen links between various discourse analysis research groups in Europe
and addresses contextual and problem-oriented reflection about the different methodological choices
involved in doing poststructuralist discourse analysis. It will combine different formats in order to offer
high-level debate with experts in the field as well as training for doctoral students and early career
researchers. Over the four days of the workshop there will be a variety of lectures, round table
discussions, master classes, group discussions and exercises.
Expert speakers from across the international field include scholars from Denmark, the Netherlands, the
United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States who will be addressing topics such as:
· Poststructuralist discourse theory
· Crafting your research strategy
· European identity
· Problem-driven research
· Textual analysis - Analysing texts in context
· Using digital methods in textual analysis
· The discursive framing of policy and governance
Student and early-career researchers interested in participating in this workshop can find further details
and a programme at: http://polforsk.dk/course_full_view?nn=1923
You can register electronically at: http://polforsk.dk/Tilmeldingssystem/tilmeld_kursus_form?id=1923
The deadline for registration is 1 July 2008
Food, accommodation and up to €500 of travel expenses will be covered by Euroqual. Financial support
however can only be offered to students and researchers from countries participating in this ESFprogram
(Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK).
Organisers:
Jacob Torfing,
Roskilde University, Denmark
Johannes Angemüller, Magdeburgh University, Germany
Maarten Hajer, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
David Howarth, University of Essex, UK
Eva Sørensen, Academic Director of the Danish Political Science PhD program
Flemming Bjerke, Administrative Director of the Danish Political Science PhD program
Contact: sek@polforsk.dk
EUROQUAL aims to promote methodological expertise in qualitative research methods in the Social Sciences. Supported by the
European Science Foundation, our 2009 programme will include workshops on:
· The Politics of qualitative research
· Spatial Analysis
· The Quality of qualitative research
· Archival Studies
· Hermeneutics
Further information about the programme can be found at: www.esf.org and at www.cf.ac.uk/socsi/euroqual