Towards an understanding of institutionality, culture, and organization in relation to power in discourse studies

Abstract

Discourse studies as an evolving field is continuing to broach new areas and develop important novel and theoretical viewpoints while simultaneously creating opportunities to revisit existing programmes that have produced insight into discursive patterns over the previous decades. This comparative review describes two recent edited volumes which each contribute different, yet equally valuable approaches to the field of discourse studies. Each of these titles brings together a range of research and interpretive reflections in vastly different cultural contexts and social spaces, thus reflecting the breadth and depth of discourse studies and its important in a multicultural trans-disciplinary field. The first of these, Institutionality: Studies of Discursive and Material (Re-)ordering, edited by Yannik Porsché, Ronny Scholz, and Jaspal Naveel Singh, seeks to develop and operationalize a novel concept of institutionality and demonstrate its growing relevance in discourse studies, while the second, Discourse, Culture, and Organization, edited by Tomas Marttila, seeks to shed further light on the differing strands of discourse and the varying theoretical and methodological positions and traditions available to researchers, with specific focus on the Essex School. This review begins with a summary of the first volume, exploring its key themes and identifying the common subjects that run throughout the chapters, before the same is repeated for the second title and contrasts are drawn where appropriate. The review closes by re-examining the place of each of the titles and their contribution and occupied space in the field of discourse across varying cultural contexts. Both volumes are essential for discourse researchers of all levels of familiarity and experience, despite unique differences in orientation and focus.