Unit information: Discourse Analysis: Research Methods for Politics and International Relations in 2018/19

Unit name	Discourse Analysis: Research Methods for Politics and International Relations
Unit code	POLIM3024
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Carver
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit examines theories and methods of post-positivist discourse and visual analysis. It surveys a variety of critical and post-structuralist concepts available for analysing discourse and visual materials, and the main assumptions of these approaches, as well as discussing key examples of their deployment in Politics and International Relations. The seminars will run as workshop sessions, during which students will have the opportunity to analyse a variety of texts, both written and visual, in collaboration with others. The texts and discourses/images analysed in the workshops will be drawn from a broad range of academic, policy-maker, practitioner, news media and entertainment media sources. Students are also expected to apply discourse theory and methods to their own research during the unit, resulting in ‘a practical piece of discourse’ analysis, which represents the sole item of summative assessment. Workshops are intended to help students develop ideas and skills for the summative assessment.

Aims:

1. To understand discourse as communicative practice
2. To understand how communicative objects are constructed and interpreted
3. To understand the power relations generated within communicative practices
4. To develop a basic knowledge of textual and visual analysis
5. To design and execute a ‘practical piece of discourse analysis’

Intended Learning Outcomes

• To understand the key arguments and concepts of discourse theory and methods

• To grasp the diversity of discourse theories and methods available and understand their central differences

• To be familiar with the ways in which discourse theory and methods are applied in Politics and International Relations

• To be able to analyse documentary and visual texts

Teaching Information

The following methods will be used:

• Critical evaluation of relevant literature
• Discussion and group work
• Applied visual analysis
• Literature searches and primary source work, including internet
• Textual discourse analysis

Assessment Information

Formative assessment: Group analysis of a text (visual or written) Summative assessment: a 4000 word piece of discourse analysis (students will be required to select and apply discourse theory and methods to a text relevant to their own research project).

1. Formative assessment on the substance of the student’s grasp of Discourse Analysis is carried out by tutors and communicated to students via verbal feedback on seminar discussions, and verbal and written feedback on a seminar presentation.
2. Summative assessment on the substance of the student’s grasp of Discourse Analysis is provided in the form of written feedback on 4000 word research-based essay.

These formative and summative assessments represent components of a wider context of appraisal in which relevant intellectual skills and attributes are assessed by means of the study skills diagnostic exercise, contributions to seminar discussions, seminar presentations, group activities in seminars, the essays, dissertation workshop presentations, and the dissertation. All modes of assessment require critical thinking, the application of concepts to empirical data, an ability to link argument and evidence and the application of formal presentational techniques.

Reading and References

• Hall, S (ed.) (1997) Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Sage.

• Howarth, D., A. Norval and Y. Stavrakakis (eds) (2000) Discourse Theory and

Political Analysis. Manchester University Press

• Fairclough, N. (2003) Analyzing Discourse: textual analysis for social research. Routledge

• Finlayson, A. and J. Valentine (2002), Politics and Post-structuralism, Edinburgh University Press.

• Laclau, E. and C. Mouffe, (1985) Hegemony and socialist strategy. Verso.

• Milliken, J. (1999) ‘The study of discourse in international relations: A critique of research and methods,’ European Journal of International Relations, 5(2): 225-254.