Dolon Rosana, Todoli Julia. Analysing Identities in Discourse

John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2008. — 205 p.The aim of this issue is to focus on specific contexts where the discursive construction of identity is circumscribed by various forms of power abuse and domination. The contextual orientation is by no means random; there were two main
criteria involved: firstly, we chose those areas that were most representative of the conference in that they occupied most intellectual attention. Secondly, the selection was based on those areas of human experience that are especially in need of a critical analysis. The introduction attempts to make this need clear and evident.
The papers presented here share the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis, where critical means not just setting out to unravel linguistic and textual traces – the so-called ‘proof ’ of dominance and power abuse; it begins with a specific research attitude which necessarily integrates the reflexive reader. Critical analysis does not assume or take anything for granted, it unwinds or rather rewinds, generating new questions where the answers are apparently given and accepted, problematising in an endeavour to engender compromise and commitment (see the introduction by Martín Rojo & Grad).